A Different Stride
by plethora-of-awkwardness
Summary: Dave Strider was the cool guy, always keeping his stoic face in check, that is, until he happened onto Karkat Vantas. What will ensue after their meeting? Just regular boy-love. Main pairing is DaveKat, but others are hinted. Rated M for abuse. Humanstuck, highschool AU.
1. Mornings

A Different Stride

Chapter One: Mornings

**Dave's POV**

You acted cool, no wait, you didn't have to act. You WERE cool. The epitome of cool. So why did you feel uncool right now? Oh, that's right, you barely woke up. You groaned and hauled your shirtless ass out of bed. Today was the first day of school, and you woke up early , like at five in the morning, to get ready. School didn't start at eight, so you had a good three hours to get yourself 'cooled' up. You changed into a white shirt with red long sleeves and a red hoodie. You zipped up your black jeans and tied your red converse.

You walked to the bathroom and made your messy blonde hair presentable. After you deemed your hair cool enough for school, you grabbed your aviator shades from the cabinet. With one last look at your red eyes, you swiftly put them on. Those glasses kept other people from seeing your eyes. With those glasses, you felt even cooler. You changed your tired face into a stoic one, so that no emotion could get out. You gave a nod of approval to your reflection and headed to the kitchen downstairs.

You and your brother lived all alone in this white house. It had two floors, the top containing both your guy's bedrooms and bathrooms. The bottom had the kitchen as stated before as well as the living room, the study, and your brother's work room. The guy spent all day in that room, making smuppets to sell. If he did come out it was to fight you.

As you entered the kitchen, you noticed, not to your surprise that your brother wasn't there. You looked around the kitchen and spotted a plate full of chocolate chip waffles and a big red box with a black bow on top. Surprised, you walked up to it and looked over the food. Damn, it smelt good. As you lifted the plate, a small note fell out the , you picked it up and read it. It said,

_**Dear little bro,**_

_**I know today is your first day of school, so I decided to make you breakfast. I brotherly love you. Have a nice day!**_

_**,Big Bro**_

_**(Look in the box**_)

_Weird_, you thought, but you dismissed it as you placed the plate and notes on the table and walked over to the fridge to grab some apple juice. You opened the bottle and grabbed the box. While sipping the juice, you lifted the top and looked inside. What you saw made you spit out your drink.

It

was

a

Smuppet

ASS.

You flipped out. The bottle was thrown out of your hands and landed all over the floor, along with the smuppet. That foul creature's ass was soaked in apple juice. You groaned when you noticed that some apple juice spilled onto your shirt.

Grabbing the towel on the sink, you tried to wipe it off. When you were done, you saw that the stain was hardly noticeable, but the smell was faint. This was your only clean shirt, reminding you that laundry was going to be done tonight.

You used the towel to clean up the mess, and put the smuppet in the garbage disposal. You suddenly weren't hungry anymore. Wrapping the still warm waffles in plastic for bro, you grabbed an apple and two breath mints. No use in lingering, it was already 7:30, giving you about thirty minutes to walk to school. You didn't like taking the bus, it almost made you lose your cool. Walking out the front door, you yelled out a good-bye to the emptiness and started your trek to the school


	2. Bruises

Chapter Two:

Bruises

**Karkat's POV~~~~~~**

You could hardly sleep a wink last night, your eyes, you were certain, were red and swollen from last night. Bec was angry last night, and as per usual, he took it out on you. A couple bruises were forming you were sure. Wincing, you sat on your bed, black bed sheets falling to the floor.

You wore flannel black and red plaid pants and a large oversized shirt that had a crab on the front. Bec gave it to you, but don't think it was from kindness. He said he only got it for you because he didn't want to see your disgusting body. And you believed him. You were disgusting.

Shaking the foul mood off as best as you could, you stood up and looked at your iPhone. It was 4:30 in the morning. You had plenty of time to on your hands, unfortunately. Sighing, you lifted yourself up and walked over to your tiny closet.

Your room was fairly small, with you getting the smallest room in the two story building. It had a window that was facing a quiet street, the occasional car passing buy or a drunkard singing an old song. It was those sounds that lulled you into sleep when you just felt like crying. It was dark grey color, and the décor was black and various shades of red. Crab themed objects were placed around.

Opening the closet, you searched through the clothes, looking through the monotonous articles of clothing, a splash of red appearing now and then. You took your time, not wanting to go downstairs yet, just in case _he _was not asleep.

Judging by the amount of light that filtered in, you guessed that you took enough time. You haphazardly picked out articles of clothing, which included a black short sleeved shirt, grey pants, black converse, and a black with red sweater. You gingerly pulled your shirt off, careful so as to not touch the bruises.

As soon as it was off, you looked down at your chest. Bright purple and bruises littered your body, the biggest one on your lower right rib. That's where he threw the bottle. You barely passed a finger over it and you already hissed in pain. You had to admit, the man had a powerful arm.

Lifting your arms up slowly, you slipped on the shirt, gently smoothing it out. Glad that you didn't touch any bruises, you slipped on your pants with ease and tied your shoes. Next came the sweater. You slipped your arms in and pulled it on. You pulled out a mirror from the bottom of the closet and looked at yourself.

Dark brown, almost red, eyes stared back at you. Raven black hair covered most of them, but some was still visible. You used your hand to comb your hair to look at least a bit presentable, but it always managed to stay somewhat messy. Growling in frustration, you placed the mirror back and looked back at your phone. It was 5:45. Damn. That took a lot more than you thought it would.

You decided to get ready fro your first day of school. You walked over to your backpack which was placed at the foot of your bed. It was black and had two key chains. One was a grey cancer symbol and that other was of a white crab.

Zipping your backpack open, you checked to see if you had everything ready. If not, there was a slight chance that you had to go downstairs to get what was missing. Surprisingly, everything was there. Now what to do?

Sighing in defeat, you realized that you had to go downstairs. Grabbing your backpack and phone, you pushed the door to your bedroom slowly.

Peeking your head out, you heard the sound of loud snores, assuring you that Bec was asleep. You tiptoed down the stairs and saw him.

Bec was lying on the couch, an empty scotch bottle loosely grasped on his hand. Thank god he was asleep. If he was awake...let's just say your bruise tally would go up more.

You stealthily walked around all the empty bottles that were scattered across the floor. You were at the door, reachign for the dorknob when suddenly...

A large hand grabbed your wrist, crushing it.

You bit back a whimper of pain. '_Not now.'_ you thought.

The hand lifted you up and flung you to the other wall near the couch.

The pain was overwhelming as your back hit the wall, making you arch and groan. You fell down with a soft thump. You curled up, which only made your back hurt more. You heard footsteps coming near you and saw Bec walking towards you. When eh was in front of you, you saw him smirk. He raised a foot and brought it to your stomach.

You curled up even more as you were left breathless. Tears were threatening to fall, but you held them in. A drunk laugh sounded, and it made you flinch. You heard some cloth rustle and a rough hand laced itself in your hair. It roughly pulled you up and you groaned.

You were no face to face with Bec, so close you could smell the liquor on his breath. You glared at him and let out a sudden growl. That was a mistake.

Stars exploded before your eyes and you were back on the floor again. You tasted the coppery taste of blood in your mouth, showing you that the punch had busted your lip. Another hit was dealt to your stomach and a slurred voice said, "You're a worthless piece of shit. No wonder no one wanted you."

Heavy footfalls were head going to the couch and a large _thump _as Bec fell down on the couch, his snores filling the room once again.

You lay there for a few minutes and finally told yourself that you had to get up. Gingerly, you lifted yourself up, walking slowly and surely. Your backpack was near where your body was, so you picked it up. Taking your phone out of your pocket, you saw that it was 6:15. That felt a lot longer than what it really was.

Lifting your backpack onto your shoulder, you walked up the stairs to your bathroom. Opening and closing the door slowly, you dropped your backpack near the door. You walked over to the medicine cabinet and took out your first-aid kit. This little white box was your lifesaver. Placing it on the counter, you started to take your shirt off, careful not to hit any old wounds. Staring at the mirror, you saw the extent of your damage.

The bruise on your rib was even larger now, the dark purple flourishing. A new bruise from where he kicked you, the dark red blossoming. You gingerly poked it, and lurched in pain.

Fuck, that did more damage than you thought. The only thing you could do know was take it like a man. Now your lip. You leaned into the mirror, examining to see how bad it was. The blood was mostly dry, but some still dripped out.

You opened the first-aid box and pulled out some cotton and rubbing alcohol. You poured some of it onto the cotton ball and nearing it towards the cut. As it touched the cut, you hissed in pain. It hurt like a bitch. But you continued.

After it was cleaned and the cotton ball was soaked with blood, you examined it more closely. it wasn't that large, but was pretty noticeable. You'd have to wear makeup. Great. You had some concealer in the kit, and you quickly applied it. Nobody would notice unless they looked really hard.

Glad with your work, you packed everything and placed the kit back in its rightful place. Picking up your backpack, you made the walk back to the front door. Thankfully, Bec didn't stop you this time. You checked your phone, it was 7:00. Giving you enough time to walk to the school. Grabbing your headphones and plugging them into your phone, you closed the door silently and walked through the brisk autumn air to school, getting lost in the music that played.


	3. The Crash

Chapter 3

The Crash

Dave's POV~~~~~~~~

You finally reached the school, noticing the many students that were clustered around the patio. They were already in their cliques, gossiping or sharing stories of what happened over the summer. You stood there, looking around everywhere, your shade hiding your eyes. You were staring of into space, when suddenly, a cheery voice yelled out, "Dave, over here!"

You turned to the source of the voice, finding your best friend John smiling goofily and waving animatedly at you. You chuckled inwardly and started walking towards your friend, who was seated under a giant oak tree.

He had a big grin plastered on his face, his bright blue eyes sparkling with joy. He was wearing a light blue sweater and a white shirt underneath. He wore black jeans and yellow shoes. Square glasses adorned his face and messy dark brown hair topped his head.

You sat down next to him, still keeping your cool face on. As son as you sat down, John turned around and started to talk to a girl next to him. She had long black hair and tan skin. She wore glasses that magnified her green eyes. She wore a black sweater with a white spiral on it. White jeans were on her legs and shiny black Mary Janes were on her petite feet.

You recognized her as Jade Harley, a girl who lived with her grandpa on an island. She came last year, and was accepted in the group without hesitation.

She and John were talking about gardening, movies, and other junk you didn't want to hear. Another girl was there, sitting next to Jade.

She had short blond hair held back with a purple headband. She was pale, which only made her dark lipstick stick out even more. She only wore a purple long sleeved shirt under a black tee shirt. She wore dark purple jeans and black boots. She had the aura of someone who would listen to your problems. Her name was Rose Lalonde.

Her legs were crossed and a book was held in her small white hands. The book's title read 'Grimoire for Summoning the Zoologically Dubious'. To others, the title might've seemed weird, but to you, John, and Jade, this was considered normal for Rose. She always loved those kind of things.

You nodded your greeting to Rose and Jade when they noticed you. They went back to what they were doing, and you decided to look at the students.

A few minutes passed and you were bored. Your stomach rumbled slightly from lack of breakfast, so you took out your apple. Just as your teeth were about to pierce the crisp red skin, the bell decided to ring.

Sighing, you stood up, the others following suit.

"So Dave, what class do you have now?" John inquired.

You took out your schedule and looked it over.

(Your Schedule)

1st Period: AP Music

2nd Period: AP Chemistry

3rd period: English

4th Period: Art

5th Period: Spanish

6th Period: Calculus

7th Period: History

"I have...AP Music next." You responded.

"Awww, I have English now." John responded with a forlorn look on his face.

You raised a hand and ruffled his hair, making him laughingly protest.

"We can meet at lunch, Egderp." you said.

John's face instantly lit up, and started to say something, but the warning bell rang.

"Welp, I'll see you later Dave!" John yelled as he ran off. Jade ran off in another direction, and so did Rose. You were left all alone. Sighing, you sped off towards the music building, on the other side of the school.

You dashed through other stragglers, hopping over the druggies that decided to get high this early in the morning.

You ran so fast that you didn't see someone walking in front of you.

Bam!

You and the other kid hit each other with such impact that you both fell over backwards. Papers were flying and your apple thrown from your hand. You heard the other kid groan and you sat up.

He was small, at least an inch smaller than Egbert, and you had to admit he looked kind of cute. He was sitting up, picking up papers and sorting them out. You went on all fours and helped him out. As soon as that was done, you each picked up your respective pile and shoved them into your backpack. You stood up and walked over to the kid. Holding out a hand to him, he reluctantly took it.

You were now face to face. A slight blush was on his face and you noticed that one side of his lip was slightly lighter than the other.

"I'm sorry" he mumbled before handing you your apple.

You took it and continued to look at him.

"No worri-" you started to say before he sped off.

You stared as he ran off, a perplexed look on your face.

You stared at the apple in your hand before realizing that you had to get to class.

You ran off, too.

Wait, wasn't he going the same direction?


	4. The Idiot Found His Voice

**Chapter Four**

**The Idiot found his voice**

**Karkat's POV~~~~~~~~**

Fuck, fuck, FUCK! You ran into Dave Strider, _the _Dave Strider. God you are such an idiot, you thought to yourself. You just ran off like an imbecile. You both mentally and physically facepalmed yourself. The worst part was that you found him, dare you think it, _hot. _But you repressed these feelings. Don't need to give Bec another reason to hit you, alothough he hardly had any reason to.

The worst part was that you have first period with him.

Fan-flipping-tastic.

Now you'd be even more embarrassed than you already are.

You reached the classroom and sat down in the farthest corner of the classroom, ignoring the stares you got as you dropped your backpack on the floor. You placed your head down on your arms, dreading the moment Strider walked in.

Your hope was in vain, though, as he walked in as cool as ever. You could practically hear the girls fangirling in the corner over him.

You looked up at him, but at that moment, your eyes met.

You looked away rapidly, instead focusing your attention to the black wall.

YOu heard footsteps start and stop abruptly, and then you heard that bitch, Leilani's, voice. She was talking to Dave, and the only word you heard was "..._weirdo_." You could tell she meant you, but you already knew you were weird.

What else was new?

You could feel his gaze on you, making you feel uncomfortable. You shifted awkwardly in your seat.

**Dave's POV~~~~~~~~**

You saw the kid you ran into in the hallway as you stepped inside. He looked so...lonely. You wanted to go and sit next to him, but decided against it. You looked at him again, and your eyes met. He looked at you for a split second before turning away. He looked completely flustered.

You walked over to him, but someone grabbed your arm roughly. You turned to see a girl with bright pink hair and a love-struck look on her face clutching your arm. You tried to remember her name. Laura, Lanie, hell if you know.

"Da-ave," she drawled out in an obnoxius voice.

"Sit with me, you don't want to hang out with a _weirdo_." she ended, looking over at the sulking boy. You wanted to tell her to let go, but now everyone was staring. You didn't want to seem like a douche, so you nodded and sat down. She enthusiastically turned around and talked to her friends, telling them that Dave Strider was sitting next to her.

You scoffed and turned your attention towards the other boy. He looked exhausted, like he woke up early or had a bad or something. He gave off a feeling of hopelessness, like nothing could never be okay...

He moved a little, so you stopped staring at him. You didn't want to make the poor guy uncomfortable. You continued sitting next to the crazy chick, waiting for the bell to ring. It would take a while, so you decided to look around the classroom.

It was a large room with lab tables organized in neat rows, their black tops so shiny, you could see your reflection. The walls were dull gray, music posters giving a pop of color. Instruments were hung in their respective places. You didn't care about the other instruments, you only eyed the guitar. You were skilled on both turntables and guitars. It didn't matter what kind; acoustic, electric, you were en expert at playing them.

Finally the bell rang and the teacher walked in. She was a short woman with red hair in a pixie-cut. She wore a dark green shirt and light blue jeans.

"Hello everyone,and welcome to AP music!" she said cheerfully as she clapped her hands together. "My name is miss Keplar. Keep in mind that this is not like band, but rather the study of music. We will compose or play some pieces, so be prepared.

Now, I want to see your talent, so if anyone can play an instrument, please raise your hand."

The room was suddenly filled with an awkward silence. It was starting to bug you. You raised your hand and said, "I can play the guitar miss."

Her face lit up and she gestured towards the guitars. "Go ahead and pick one, mister..."

"Strider. Dave Strider."

"Very well. Mister Strider, please select a guitar."

You stood up and went to the back of the room, the guitars beckoning you. You immediately picked the one that you instantly fell in love with. It was Taylor Sinker Rosewood guitar, the polish shining even in the semi-dark room.

You gently picked it up and slid the strap over your shoulder as the teacher asked, "Now, would anyone care to sing?"

"I can." a small voice replied. You turned to see who it was, and to your surprise, and everyone else's, it was none other than the lonely kid. His hand was raised, and the sweater sleeve pulled down a little bit. You could see that his wrist was a slight purple, as if it had been hit or grabbed roughly.

You were surprised at how his voice was. It was soft, but a little deep, as if he hadn't spoken for a long time.

The teachers' face lit up even more. "Thank you for volunteering, mister..."

"Noir, Karkat Noir." he replied.

Karakat...the name sounded good on your tongue as you whispered it to yourself. You walked back to your seat, noticing your partner's disgusted look.

"I doubt he can sing, the freak." she whispered snarkily to you.

You turned around and glared at her, relishing her surprised face. That should shut her up.

"Well mister Noir, you may begin singing. Mister Strider,"she said looking at you, "I want you to try to play your guitar along to the song." Both you and Karkat nodded, him looking slightly embarrassed.

You got your guitar ready and Karkat began to sing.

"Broken home, all alone  
Broken home, all alone~..."

You recognized the words. The song always made you feel terrible. Why would he choose this song? Nevertheless, you began striking chords.

**Karakt's POV~~~~~~~~**

You began singing, waiting for Dave or someone else to laugh. But instead you heard him play some chords. He recognized the song. You were elated at this news, and began to sing a little louder.

"I can't seem to fight these feelings  
I'm caught in the middle of this  
And my wounds are not healing  
I'm stuck in between my parents  
I wish I had someone to talk to  
Someone I could confide in  
I just want to know the truth  
I just want to know the truth  
Want to know the truth!~"

'_Why does Bec do this? Why!?_'

"Broken home  
All alone~..."

'_I can't speak, I have to keep quiet or it'll be worse._'

"I know my mother loves me  
But does my father even care?  
If I'm sad or angry  
You were never ever there  
When I needed you  
I hope you regret what you did  
I think I know the truth  
Your father did the same to you  
Did the same to you!

I'm crying day and night now  
What is wrong with me?  
I cannot fight now  
I feel like a weak link  
Crying day and night now  
What is wrong with me?  
I cannot fight now  
I feel like a weak link  
Push it back inside...~"

You repeated this part four times, the song enveloping you, along with Dave's strumming.

"A weak link...~"

'_That's what I am, a weak link._'

"Broken home, all alone~"

"It feels bad to be alone  
Crying by yourself living in a broken home  
How could I tell it?  
So all y'all could feel it  
Depression strikes hard just like my old earth would tell it  
To me, her son, she told me I'm the one  
Pain bottled up, 'bout to blow like a gun  
Stories that I tell  
Are nonfiction  
And you can't take it back 'cause it's already done..~"

"BROKEN HOME! BROKEN HOOOOME!"

You practically wailed this part out, Dave's playing in perfect sync.

"Can't seem to fight these feelings  
Caught in the middle of this  
My wounds are not healing  
Stuck in between my parents  
BROKEN HOME! BROKEN HOOOOME!"

Dave struck the last few chords as you held the note for a second or two. You opened your eyes, and was met with a look of surprise from everyone, including the teacher. You were panting, your mouth dry from the singing. You looked at Dave, his face a sort of surprised look; it was hard to tell from his shades. You immediately felt embarrassed and fell back onto your seat, laying your head in your arms.

**Dave's POV~~~~~~~~**

Damn.

* * *

**Edit: Karkat's last name will now be Noir because his dad's full name is Bec Noir, so it wouldn't make sense for his last name to be Vantas. It'll be Vantas later on though. **


	5. The Apple is the Key

**Chapter 5**

**The Apple is the Key**

**Dave's POV~~~~~~~~**

The rest of the class passed by uneventfully, with Ms. Keplar talking about classroom rules and the like. You kept sneaking glances at Karkat, thinking what was going on through that messy head of his. He looked a little flustered after singing, and he spent the rest of the class taking notes or listening to the teacher. The bell rang and Karkat was the first one out of the classroom. You pushed passed the other students and made your way into the hall.

Students were jumbled up, filling the hallway with loud voices. You spotted Karkat's hair and followed him, running. Being so small, he could maneuver through the large crowd. You called out to him, but in a flash, he disappeared.

Letting your arm fall to your side in defeat, you stared off after him. "I'll probably see him at lunch." you whispered to yourself as you walked to your next class.

* * *

Your classes passed by uneventfully, and soon it was lunchtime. You allowed yourself to be pulled into the cafeteria by that massive crowd of ravenous students. You squeezed yourself out and looked fro John, spotting almost immediately.

John was sitting at a table near the window with Jade, Rose, and another that you didn't recognize. She wore a dark grey long sleeved shirt over a black short-sleeved one. Her hair was a light brown and she had jade green lipstick. She wore red jeans and dark green converse. She was talking to Rose, interested in the conversation. You sauntered over to them and took your seat.

"Hey Dave!" John greeted.

"How were your classes?" Jade asked.

"They were okay, " you responded. "I saw someone in my first period class..." you trailed off.

"Oooooh! Are they cute?" John asked eagerly, his eyes sparkling with wonder. You chuckled at his fan boy attitude.

"Yeah, he kind of is." you replied.

"It's a boy?!" Jade interrupted. She propped herself up on her elbows, John copying the action. A slight blush was about to creep up on your face, but you forced it down.

"Yeah, he's a guy. Why does that surprise you?" you snapped back.

Their faces lit up even more, unfazed by your outburst.

"Okay Dave. We'll leave you alone." John replied, before turning around and talking to Jade.

You sighed and took out your apple. You were about to bite it again, when you noticed something out of the corner of your eyes. You turned your head and saw Karkat sitting by himself in a corner. He was doodling in book, headphones in his ears. He didn't have any food near him, and you felt bad.

You stood up, apple in hand, and walked over to where Karkat was sitting. At least you could apologize for earlier.

**3rd Person POV~~~~~~~~**

Rose was talking to her new friend, Kanaya, and John was talking to Jade. He and jade decided not to bother Dave anymore, so they started a new conversation.

John felt Dave get up and turned around, only to see Dave walk over to boy who looked lonely. John smiled at the retreating blonde. Jade appeared at his side, her long hair tickling John's nose.

"What's Dave doing?" she inquired.

John continued staring after Dave as he responded with a big grin on his face.

"He's falling in love."


	6. Lunch Conversation

**Chapter 6**

**Lunch Conversation**

**Karkat's POV~~~~~~~~**

You heard Dave Strider follow you as you exited AP Music. You swerved and turned, hoping to lose him. When you finally felt his presence gone, you breathed a sigh of relief and went on to your next class.

* * *

Your head was full of Dave Strider by the time lunch came around. When the bell rang for lunch, you ran out of the class, dodging the swarm of students that spewed out into the halls.

You were the first one in, the cafeteria food smell hitting your nose. It almost made you sick. You hadn't eaten lunch in a long time, or any food for that matter. More students filed into the cafeteria. You ran to the corner and sat down.

You pulled your sketchbook, pencil, and headphones out. You pulled your knees close to your chest while plugging in your headphones to your phone and placing them in your ears. Your favorite song, 'Facedown' by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus started playing. You hummed along while pulling your sketchbook in front of you. Pulling a pencil from your sweater, you began drawing.

A couple minutes passed before you sensed somebody in front of you. You looked up, music still playing, only to see Dave Strider in front of you. He towered over you, seeing your reflection in his shades.

You pulled your headphones out of your ears and stared at the tall blonde.

Dave looked completely flustered as eh held out an apple, the same you gave to him after you crashed.

"I saw that you were alone, so I decided to drop by." Dave said.

"I also saw that you had no food, so...do you want my apple?" he asked apprehensively. You took the apple from his hand, uttering a "Thank you."

You suddenly remembered your manners and gestured towards the spot next to you. "Do you wan to, uh, sit down?" Oh good god, you sounded like your friend, Tavros, stuttering.

"Sure" Dave responded before sitting down. You moved into a more comfortable position, facing Dave. Your sketchbook was in front of you, the unfinished drawing out there for all to see. You realized a second too late who you had been drawing.

Dave Strider, you had been drawing _Dave-fucking-Strider. _

You quickly flipped the page to a new one, hoping that Dave didn't notice.

**Dave's POV~~~~~~~~**

You saw what he was doodling before he flipped the page, his movements fast. The only thing you saw were your shades. Now the page was a blank one. An awkward silence fell, until you broke it.

"So...why don't you eat lunch?" you inquired. Surely he _has _to be hungry.

"Oh, I, um, don't really get that hungry." he stuttered out. He raised a hand and scratched the back of his head, revealing a slightly bony hand. As if to contradict his statement, Karkat's stomach growled slightly. He blushed a tiny bit, making him look even cuter.

_'Goddammit, why am I thinking this?'_

You gestured towards the apple, noticing how Karkat looked at it lovingly.

"Come on dude, eat. Your stomach's going to keep rumbling and you'll get a headache." you said matter-of-factly.

He grumbled something under his breath, something like "insufferable prick" and "mind your own damn hunger". You chuckled as he bit tore the crisp red skin. His eyes flew open, probably from the flavor. After he swallowed, he took another, and another.

Not long after, all that remained was the core, which he wrapped up in a napkin and threw away. He sat back down and asked you, "So douche bag, aren't you going to eat?" His question didn't faze you. It kind of seemed natural coming from him.

"I'm not that hungry." you replied nonchalantly, leaning against the wall.

"You better hope your head doesn't hurt later on, because if it does then I will shove all the irony from this moment down your protein chute." Karkat scoffed out.

You chuckled, "I don't get headaches, only people who aren't as cool as me do."

"So I'm not cool?"

"You are, but not in a Strider way."

"Oh"

The rest of the lunch was spent in a comfortable silence.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and Karkat jumped up, packed his stuff and left with a hurried "Good-bye"

You stared after him and decided to class yourself.

That went better than you expected.


	7. Walking Home

**Chapter Seven**

**Walking Home**

**Karkat's POV~~~~~~~~**

Your conversation with Dave flipped through your mind over and over. You felt stupid for running out on him again, but you were used to running right when the bell rang.

You reached your last class, AP Art, with a dazed look on your face. Flopping to the corner, you watched as the students filed in. The bell rang and class began. The teacher came in and started to talk, but you hardly paid attention.

You swirled your tongue around your mouth, relishing in the apple taste that was prominent. Did Dave's lips taste like-

_'No'_!,you thought to yourself. _'Stop thinking about that idiot.' _You shook your head and tried to pay attention to the teacher, but Dave kept entering your thoughts.

o0o0o0o0o

The bell rang and instead of running out the class, you took your time. You didn't want to get home just yet...

You walked through the empty hallways towards the front when you were suddenly thrown into a locker. You groaned as your head hit the locker, the metal clanking. You fell down sideways, trying to ignore the pounding in your head. You tried to breathe, but there was a blow to your back, making you fall sideways. Your phone slid out of your pocket but your backpack was still on your back. Another blow was dealt to your legs, and another to your chest.

The hits were dealt in random places, making you curl up in hopes of protecting your head. After a few minutes, they stopped. You heard footsteps retreating and lifted your head slowly. The only thing you saw was a head of bright pink hair retreating before you laid your head down, clutching your abdomen and taking small breaths.

You stayed there, until you decided to get up. You pulled yourself up, slowly, trying not to make your head hurt more. When you were finally able to get up, you leaned against the lockers, when you felt a warm liquid running down your face. You lifted a slender finger to your face and touched the substance, pulling it away so you could see. It was blood.

Your nose was bleeding rapidly. You didn't have any tissues on hand, but instead you used your sweater sleeve, hoping that it didn't smear. You picked up you phone and readjusted you backpack and began walking.

It was too much for you. You slumped down and hit the floor the world fading away. Before you blacked out, you heard a worried voice yell, "Karkat!"

**Dave's POV~~~~~~~~**

The school day was over and you started to head towards the front of the school. You usually went around the school, but today you decided to walk the halls. You felt like you had to be there...

You entered the hall, only to see a small figure slumped against the lockers. The person wiped their nose on their sleeve before picking up their phone and fixing their backpack. You started walking again, until the person fell to the floor. You immediately recognized who the person was by their messy hair.

It was Karkat.

"Karkat!" you yelled as you ran over to the boy.

You bent down bedside him, shaking him.

"Come on Karkat, wake up." you whispered loudly.

He wouldn't budge, so you ran into the nearest bathroom and filled your cupped hands with water. You ran back to Karkat, not spilling a single drop of water. You threw the water on his face, making him instantly wake up.

"What the hell happened?" he yelled, sitting up. The water made the dried blood on his face come off, leaving dull red streaks that looked like tears.

"I woke you up. What the hell happened to you?" you asked, helping the smaller boy up.

"I got beat up by a bunch of idiots, that's what." Karkat spat out as he wiped the water off his face. He shrugged your arm off and started to walk, but started to slouch. You ran over to him and picked him up. You placed an arm around his waist, oblivious to his blushing face.

"Come on, let me help you walk home." you offered, holding him even tighter.

"Fine" Karkat grumbled out.

The both of you started walking towards Karkat's house, him pointing out where to turn. You found out that he lived two streets below you. You and Karkat made small talk the entire way until you reached his house.

It was a two story house with grainy black walls and windows scattered around. It was on the corner of the street, Karkat pointing out to where his room was. Light from a TV flickered from what you supposed was the living room.

"Oh no." Karkat mumbled worriedly beside you. You looked down at him, seeing at how scared his face appeared. "What's wrong?" you asked as he pulled your arm away from his wrist.

"Nothing" he replied.

"Karkat!" a voice yelled from inside the house. Karkat visibly flinched and ran to the door. Before he opened it, he said to you, "Thanks for walking me home." He slipped in, the door closing behind him. Muffled voices were heard inside the house, one yelling.

You stared at the door before turning on your heel and walking home.

o0o0o0o0o

You opened the door to your house, dropping your backpack near the door and made your way into the kitchen.

To your surprise you saw Dirk, your bro, at the table, reading a manga, his pointy anime shades shining in the soft light.

He heard you walk in and looked up, his usual serious face turning into a smile.

"Sup little bro. How was school?" he asked, putting down the manga and walking over to the fridge and pulling out two bottles of apple juice.

"It was okay..." you replied as you sat in the chair across from him, accepting the bottle from Dirk.

"Come on, you can't lie to me. little man." he said smirking, taking a sip of his juice.

You sighed heavily.

"Fine, I'll tell you everything." you said, toying with the bottle.

You told Dirk everything about Karkat; how you ran into him, what happened in music, the lunch talk you had with him, and finally, about you walking him home.

"Is this Karkat cute?" Dirk inquired, smirking.

"Yeah...Wait, what? No! I barely met the kid, I can't think he's cute!" you yelled out, blushing.

"Fine, I won't pry . Now tell me more about the walk to his home. What happened?"

"He got beat up pretty bad after school, so I offered to walk him home. When he closed the door, I heard yelling, really loud..."

"That's something you should worry about little man."

"Why?"

"Look, even if you're not crushing on the kid, you should still care about what happens to him." Dirk said before standing up and picking up his things.

"I'm going to hit the sack. You should do the same." he said ruffling your hair before heading up the stairs to his bedroom.

You followed suit, going to your bedroom.

You changed into nothing but red boxers and jumped into your bed, thoughts of Karkat swirling around in your head.

_'I wonder if he's okay' _was the last thing you thought before falling into the clutches of sleep.


	8. Afterwards

**Chapter 8**

**Afterwards**

**Karkat's POV~~~~~~~~**

you closed the door slowly, not noticing the large coming behind you. You were too late to realize a large shadow looming over you. You turned around, looking at Bec. His eyes were half closed, a sign that he had been drinking. He walked closer to you, making you back against the wall.

You were shaking in fear, your breaths speeding up. Bec raised his hand, balled up into a fist. You were terrified. You barely survived your beating at school, and now this!? He brought it higher, making you flinch. He saw this and smirked before lumbering to the couch and flopping down, falling into a drunken stupor.

You looked at the figure, your heart still pumping with fear. You calmed yourself down enough to move your body from the door, walking up the stairs to your room door. You slipped off your backpack and took out your phone, tossing them onto your bed.

You shakily walked towards the bathroom, a lost look in your eyes. You didn't even remember getting inside, stripping off your clothes, or turning on the water. When you finally regained your senses, you were sitting on the bathtub floor, the water from the showerhead hitting your back. It felt so warm, so nice.

Memories of what happened today reeled through your mind like a slideshow. Your mind stopped at what happened just now, making you realize what your life was. You felt tears forming, but you didn't want to stop them.

You let them flow at what you realized your life was.

_Will I ever be loved?_

_Will I ever feel a gentle touch instead of punches and kicks?_

_Will I ever not be afraid?_

_Will life be different?_

You cried, sobs wracking your body. The shower masked them, finally allowing you to let go.

0o0o0o0o0o0

After the shower incident, you left the bathroom, all scrubbed and clean. A towel was wrapped around your waist. Your eyes were red and swollen, and you were tired. You walked cautiously to your room.

You opened the door and threw your towel off. Just as it landed on the floor, you grabbed your pajamas and clambered over to your bed. Removing your items from the bed and placing them on the floor. You didn't even bother un-making your bed. Instead sliding under your covers from the foot of your bed.

You appeared on the other side, placing your still wet head on the pillow, falling asleep to the thoughts of seeing Dave Strider tomorrow.

0o0o0o0o0

Your morning was the same as yesterday, except without the interruption from Bec. You were now wearing a grey button-up shirt underneath a dark red sweater with a weird sign on the front that looked like a bleeding cut. You also wore black jeans and grey converse.

You were currently walking to school, listening to 'You Found Me' be The Fray.

You hoped that somebody would find _you_ before it was too late.

Before you even knew it, you standing in front of the school. For some reason unknown to you, you were searching for a certain shade-wearing blonde. You found him talking with his friends, and started walking towards him, for no reason. Just as you were about to reach him, the bell rang.

_'I'll see him in first period.', _you thought as you followed the mass of students flooding into the building.

_'Wait, why am I thinking about that prick? We only had one conversation, and now I want to be with him.' _you scolded yourself mentally.

Another thought, in your voice nonetheless, said in a caring tone,

_'Because he is everything you need.'_


	9. Crush or Not?

**Chapter Nine**

**Crush or not?**

**Karkat's POV~~~~~~~~**

You entered the music room and sat in the same spot as yesterday, staring at the door. You didn't abhor the thought of Strider coming in through the door; instead you gazed eagerly at the door. You were starting to like Strider.

He came in at last, and you swore that your heart skipped a beat.

_'Why am I feeling like this?'_

You noticed that you smiled and quickly wiped it off when you saw Leilani gesture towards Dave.

_'He probably doesn't even like me. He's probably the guy that go for girls like her. I'm not even sure I like him_.'

You sighed in defeat and pulled out your sketchbook, flipping to the page where you started drawing Dave. You didn't want to erase it, it looked too good.

You started working on his lips when you heard a loud gasp. You lifted your head to see Dave walking towards you, Leilani looking like fish as she stared after him.

Okay, your heart was definitely pumping now. You remained calm, hoping that you didn't look like a flipping weirdo.

He settled into the seat next to you, giving you a small nod. You nodded, somewhat nervously, back. He stared ahead, well, you thought he was. It was hard to tell from those stupid shades of his.

Not wanting to seem like a creep, you went back to work on your drawing. Ten minutes were left until the tardy bell rang, so everyone in the class was jabbering to their classmates.

You finished the head and were working on the body, but you felt someone next to you. You stopped drawing and turned your head slightly to the left.

Dave Strider was very close to you, so close that you could smell the ever enticing scent of apples and...cinnamon?

"Is that me?" he asked calmly.

You calmed yourself and answered in the same calm manner.

"And if it is?"

"I just wanted to know. You're a really good drawer and singer. What can't you do?"

"_Be the perfect son." _you mumbled under your breath.

"What was that?" Dave asked.

"Nothing, you nosy idiot." you snapped back.

The bell rang and the teacher came in, cutting your conversation short.

**Dave's POV~~~~~~~~**

You and Karkat spent the beginning of class in comfortable silence. About halfway through the class, Ms. Keplar handed out a paper with a bunch of words on it. You didn't want to read that much, so you cast it aside. Karkat, however, was scanning the paper with bright eyes.

He nudged you and was handing the paper to you, but Ms. Keplar interrupted.

"I hope you read through the paper. It's about instructions on what to do for your first assignment!" she said happily, oblivious to the groans of despair coming from her students.

"I'll go over the instructions again. This assignment will help you know your partner better. Through music, of course."

Cue groaning.

Even you couldn't help but join in. An assignment two days in? You leaned back against the chair and looked over to Karkat. Much to your surprise, he was leaning forward, head propped up on his elbows. His eyes, you finally saw, were a nice dark red, almost like yours...

Karkat swiveled around and his eyes met yours.

You were slightly startled, jumping up a little bit in your chair. You two were still staring at each other, making you both feel uncomfortable. You didn't hear the teacher talk; you were too focused on Karkat.

A blush flowered on his face, making him look even cuter than he already was.

He must've realized this because he quickly turned and faced forward.

You followed suit and tuned in to what the teacher was saying.

"This assignment is due at the end of the year, so you have enough time to work on this. Class is half over, so I am giving you the rest of the class to work."

Crap, you didn't even listen to what she was saying. You turned to Karkat and put on your "flirty" face on.

"So Karkat...what was the assignment about?" you asked.

Karkat had already taken out his sketchbook and was doodling again. He sighed out loud and stopped moving his pencil.

"The assignment, you stupid fuck, was to create a song about your partner. One has to sing while the other plays an instrument, or both can play and sing, or whatever the hell you want to do. As you can see..." he gestured to everybody in the class, who were already grabbing instruments, "...Everyone is pairing up. I ,for one, am doing it solo, _not like anyone would want to be my partner anyway._" he mumbled the last part before returning to his drawing. You caught his mumble and felt bad.

"I'll be your partner." you said quickly.

Karkat fumbled a bit before turning to you.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I said I'll be your partner. I don't like seeing people alone, especially you."

"Oh, um, thanks?"

"No prob."

At that time, the bell rang and Karkat ran out like he did yesterday, backpack slung around his shoulder and sketchbook under one arm. You leapt up, slinging your backpack on your shoulder in a similar manner.

You dashed out the door, hoping that it wasn't too late.

This time, however, you saw him nearby and caught him by his jacket sleeve as he was halfway down the hall.

He tensed and turned his head sharply towards you.

"Look, you want to meet up at lunch? We can talk about the project and you can meet my friends..."

Karkat looked genuinely surprised at this. You both stood there as the incoming students walked around you.

"...Sure. Where do you want to meet?"

"When you come into the cafeteria, just look for me and sit down."

"Fine. Now let me go you idiot. I don't want to be late."

"Sure thing. Wouldn't want to get you angry." you said while smirking.

Karkat just huffed and walked away from you, his form no longer discernible from the taller students.

You smiled to yourself as you turned around and walked to your class, your hand swinging on your side.

_'I think I may be crushing on the guy.'_


	10. New People and New Feelings

**Chapter 10**

**New People and New Feelings**

**Karkat's POV~~~~~~~~**

You entered the cafeteria, the aroma of warm and unhealthy food shocked you yet again. You tried not to barf, so you occupied your mind with finding Dave.

He was easy to spot, his blonde hair bright.

He was sitting with a boy that had black hair wearing square glasses and had buck teeth, a tan girl with super long hair and round glasses, a pale blonde chick with short blonde hair, and a dark-skinned girl with cropped light brown hair.

You were very nervous, since you weren't exactly a social butterfly. You actually felt your stomach twist as you neared the table ever so slowly. Dave must've heard you because he turned around and waved at you.

You sheepishly waved back and watched as Dave got up and walked over to you.

"Come on, don't just stand there. I want you to meet my friends." he said as he grabbed your arm and pulled you towards the table.

**Third Person POV~~~~~~~~**

Karkat felt absolutely anxious. He watched as Dave pulled him towards his friends. He examined the blondes features, hoping it would calm him down.

He had never been so right.

The sight of Dave instantly made him feel better, what with the taller boys own calm expression. They swerved around the multitude of students that appeared in the last few seconds until they finally reached the table.

The many faces stared up at them, giving curious looks at Karkat.

"Guys, this is Karkat, my classmate." Dave said as he gestured towards the smaller boy.

Karkat raised a hand and said a sheepish "Hello"

All of a sudden, two faces appeared in front of him.

It was the boy with the square glasses and the girl with the round glasses.

Karkat yelped in surprise and jumped back bit.

"So you're the boy Dave talked to yesterday at lunch?" the boy asked.

"Y-yeah..." Karkat replied, still wary of this new person.

"Wow! You are really cute when you blush!" the girl squealed. Karkat stared at her bright green eyes, which looked bigger because of her glasses, and saw that he was indeed blushing. Intensely, he might add.

"I am not cute, you hyper sack of-" Karkat started to say angrily.

"Karkat, calm down. Just sit down." Dave said as he placed a hand on Karkat's shoulder.

Karkat felt a shiver run up his spine at the touch. He hoped Dave hadn't noticed this and nodded towards the taller teen.

He and Dave sat next to each other, their backpacks on a pile to the side.

Dave introduced Karkat to John, Jade, Rose, and Kanaya. They all waved happily at Karkat as Dave pronounced their names and Karkat felt slightly less nervous.

Everyone had food, even Dave. Although he only had an apple.

Karkat stared at the other children's food. Warm mashed potatoes drenched in gravy, a slice of what he assumed was turkey, a warm cinnamon twist, and a carton of milk.

For cafeteria food, it looked really good.

Karkat gazed lovingly at the food, wishing that he could have just a little bit.

"Karkat? Are you okay?" John asked.

"Yeah I'm fine. Do I look like I'm not?" Karkat snapped back.

"No, but you had this look on your face. Almost like you want something..." John said, concerned.

"I'm fine, Egbert." Karkat said.

"Well, I guess I can trust you..." John said defeated before looking around the table. He noticed that everyone had something to eat except for Karkat.

"Karkat, why aren't you eating anything?" John asked.

"I, uh, don't really eat that much." Karkat stuttered out.

_'Fuck! Now John noticed!' _Karkat thought. He was interrupted as he felt a hand on top of his. He felt his face heat up as his eyes traced up a red sleeved arm to see who it belonged to.

His face grew even hotter when he saw it was Dave.

"Karkat, you have to eat something. I know you'll say that you're not hungry, but I can't see you starve because of your stubbornness." Dave said.

Karkat opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted as Dave pulled him out of the seat and started dragging him towards the lunch line.

Karkat started to protest, but Dave whipped around and looked straight at the small teen. Karkat could feel his glare through those shades. He closed his mouth and sighed, allowing his body to be carried into the small structure where a long line of students was formed.

They entered pretty quickly, grabbing their own trays and sliding them down the metal railing. Karkat eyes the food with hungry eyes. He had to stop himself from drooling at the sight of food.

Dave grabbed whatever caught his fancy and continued down the line.

Karkat, however, was overwhelmed with the many choices. He saw that Dave was ahead of him, so he grabbed whatever he could reach. This included a small foam bowl full of tomato soup, a cinnamon twist, a fruit cup, and chocolate milk. He hurried to where Dave was and saw some dollar bills come out.

Crap, Karkat had forgotten that you had to pay for your lunch here.

Dave saw that Karkat looked worried and smiled. He leaned over to Karkat and said, "Lunch is on me."

Karkat looked genuinely surprised, but brushed it off.

"Fine."

Dave paid for their food and the both of them walked over to the table. Karkat was beside Dave and softly said, "I'll pay you back tomorrow."

"Don't worry about it, but you should bring money next time in case I sweep you off again."

They reached the table where everyone was chatting. They saw the two boys come their way and waved at them eagerly, as if they had been gone for a millennia.

Dave and Karkat took their seats and began eating. Well, Dave did.

Karkat looked at his food warily, as if the tomato soup would leap up at him. He grabbed the spoon and dipped it into the red fluid. He brought the now full spoon to his lips shakily and placed it in his mouth.

His eyes flew open at the burst of flavor. It flowed down his throat, making him feel warm. He brought the spoon out and repeated the procedure. He finished the soup and started nomming on the bread, Dave patted it down.

"Slow down there kitty cat, don't want to get a stomach ache." Dave said sweetly.

Karkat thought about reprimanding Dave for calling him such a ridiculous nickname, but the thought of doing so disappeared as the sweet scent of the bread hit his nose. He picked the bread again and started eating it slowly. He glared at Dave as he chewed, but this only made him seem cuter in Dave's eyes, much to Karkat's chagrin.

They spent a couple of minutes in silence, only disturbed by the occasional chew until John decided to break the silence.

"So Karkat, who do you live with?" John inquired.

Karkat stopped, a cherry about halfway to his mouth. He put it down and faced John.

"I live with my dad, Bec." he said calmly. He hoped no more questions came his way.

"Just you two alone?" John asked.

"Yep. Just the two of us."

"What does your dad do?"

"He works for a metal-making company. He basically makes forms out of metals, like knives or swords. Sort of like a blacksmith."

"Oh! That sounds cool!" John said happily.

"Yeah, I guess it does..." Karkat mused. It did sound pretty cool.

He started playing around with the cherry before Dave interrupted him.

"Karkat, why did you look so scared when I dropped you off at your house? Did something happen?" Dave inquired, concern showing.

"Oh, um, I was afraid that, I, um..." Karkat stumbled on his words.

_'Goddammit! That's just going to make him worry more! I don't want anyone to worry about me'_ Karakt scolded himself.

"Karkat?" Dave said as he gently shook Karkat by the shoulders.

"What?" Karkat said, snapping out of his trance.

"You don't have to tell me now. When you're ready, okay?" Dave said smiling slightly. That was the first expression Karkat had ever seen Dave show.

"Okay."

"Great. Now let's finish our food."

The rest of lunch was spent eating and laughing, both of which Karkat hadn't done in a long time.

As they laughed at story of one of John's botched pranks, Karkat leaned back and looked around at the people around him. He smiled as he thought,

_'It feels great to be loved.'_


	11. Small Talk Reveals An Idiot's Feelings

**Chapter 11**

**Small Talk Reveals An Idiot's Feelings**

After that lunch, Karkat eventually grew to like these group of people. And he on them. Weeks passed and Karkat knew more about these kids.

John, for example, was a very eccentric boy. His father owned a bakery and often brought home work, that is to say the many cakes that he had to finish by the next day. John was also a "movie connoisseur", as he said. Although the movies he really only liked were the ones that had Nicolas Cage in them.

Jade was almost like John. She was very hyper and bubbly. She had transferred to the school just last year. Before, she used to live with her Grandpa in Hawaii an a large estate. At first, Karkat was a little afraid of her, but he eventually got used to her overly happiness. It reminded him of an old friend...

Rose was very calm and was the most trustworthy person in the group. She always had a soft smile on her face that showed compassion. A book about the dark arts or the human mind was always either tucked under her arm or stashed in her satchel.

Kanaya was very much like Rose. She was very polite and fashionable. She lived with her older sister and mom in the city, just close enough for her to be in the district. She always looked at Rose fondly, and Karkat wondered if she liked Rose. Karkat felt like he could tell her anything and she wouldn't tell.

Dave was well...cool. He lived with his older brother, Dirk, after an unfortunate accident that killed his parents. Karkat didn't want to pry any further about it, not wanting Dave to be angry with him. He was starting to like Strider more and more, maybe even love.

Karkat had also created a PesterChum account, his chumhandlde being carcinoGeneticist, due to Dave's begging.

Karkat also began to bring lunch money daily. He nicked a couple dollars from Bec's wallet, just a little bit so he wouldn't notice. The beatings had gotten more frequent, but they didn't cause as much damage as before. He was usually too drunk to do anything life threatening. Karkat had managed to hide any bruises from his friends with a lot of make up and extra caution.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Karkat walked to the gym, where P.E. was held. The air was chilly, and Karkat could feel it because he had a black long-sleeved shirt with a grey cancer symbol on it. It was the only clean shirt he had left, so he chose to wear it today. It was thin, but at least it covered him.

He had P.E. after Music, so it was relatively close, just a skip, jump, and a hallway away. Dave always offered to walk him there, but Karkat always refused. He didn't want Dave to be late to his class.

Karkat went into the area where the gym was and saw a familiar shape. He squinted his eyes and saw that it was Kanaya. Karkat instantly became elated. Around the others, he always kept up a gruff demeanor, but when around Kanaya, Karkat let his feelings flow. Karkat ran over to the girl, yelling her name.

"Kanaya!"

Kanaya looked up from her book-"Coco Chanel and Her Ways"- and looked at the person who called out her name. She was about to reprimand the person who interrupted her, but her face softened when she saw it was Karkat. He was like a little brother to her. He stopped just in front of her, his sneakers squeaking against the tile floor.

"Hello Karkat, what brings you here?" Kanaya asked politely, putting away her book in her jade green and black pack and standing up.

"I have gym. Why are you here? I've never seen you around before." Karkat while offering a hand to Kanaya.

She accepted and grabbed it while speaking.

"They changed my classes so I can have AP design. So now I have Physical Education." she said. She pulled herself up, causing Karkat to wince. Bec had hit his arm the day before and it hurt like hell. Kanaya noticed and looked at Karkat with a puzzled look on her face when she was up. He was currently rubbing his arm.

"Karkat? Are you alright? Does your arm hurt?" Kanaya asked Karkat, whose back was now facing her.

"Y-yeah! I'm fine!" he said nervously.

"Then why are you rubbing it as if in pain?" Kanaya asked incredulously.

"It's nothing Kanaya! I'm fine, honest."

"Karkat..."

Suddenly, the bell rang and Karkat tried to run off.

"That's the warning bell! I have to run off. Don't want to be late, now do we? Haha..." Karkat said nervously as he turned around and walked towards the boys locker room.

"Karkat Vantas, you will not leave me here without giving me a proper explanation!" Kanaya yelled after him as she grabbed his sleeve.

There was rip and a gasp as fabric was pulled. Time had stopped and no one spoke a word, an eerie silence blanketing them.

"Karkat?" Kanaya asked.

Karkat turned his head around and saw Kanaya staring that large bruise on his arm with teary eyes.

"Karkat...who did this to you? Was it..." she asked as she kept staring, holding his arm loosely. He knew who she was talking about.

Karkat wrenched his arm out of her grasp and pulled it close to him.

"Maybe...but don't cry! I'm going to tell someone, don't worry." Karkat lied with tears prickling his eyes.

He was suddenly pulled into a tight hug by Kanaya.

"Karkat, you better tell. Now, what else has _Bec _done to you?" she said caringly, practically hissing Bec's name.

"Nothing more than just a few punches or kicks." Karkat replied, his body tense.

The final bell and Karkat tried to wrench himself away from her embrace, but she only tightened her grip.

"Kanaya, we're going to be late for class." Karkat grumbled.

"Class can wait. Right now, we have to talk. Follow me." Kanaya said as she pulled Karkat off of her and walked into a back alley.

Karkat followed her, somewhat reluctantly, and found her sitting down in a corner where the cameras couldn't reach. She was digging through her backpack and gestured towards a spot to her right.

"Sit." she said simply.

Karkat obeyed and sat cross-legged on the ground.

Kanaya pulled out a small sewing kit from her backpack and started to pick out the thread and needle.

"Karkat, hand me your arm. The one with the torn sleeve in particular."

Karkat pulled his arm towards her and watched as she skillfully stitched it back together.

"Karkat...have you told Dave about..." she asked as she pulled the thread tight, finishing the job.

"No, but why would I tell him? He doesn't care." Karkat said as he pulled his arm back.

"Au contraire my grumpy friend. He cares about you a lot. Rose has told me that he always talks to her about you." Kanaya said nonchalantly as she pulled her book back out.

"H-He does?" Karkat asked.

"Yes, he does. Do you care the same for him?"

"Yeah...It's like whenever I see him I feel genuinely happy. I call him an arrogant douchebag, but I want him to be _my _ignorant douchebag. His shades send shivers up my spine and his voice is just...magnificent." Karkat gushed out, not noticing the smile that traced his lips.

Kanaya smiled and continued reading while speaking.

"Well then, you should tell him about how you feel and also about Bec."

"But what if he hates me when I tell him?" Karkat whined.

Kanaya sighed and closed her book before facing Karkat.

"Karkat, Dave cares about you and he wouldn't hate you because of something childish like that. He is not that kind of person."

"I guess. I think I'll tell him tonight. I'll just ask him to walk me home and I'll tell him." Karkat said firmly.

"That sounds great. Now, let's talk about other subjects until the bell rings.

They spent the rest of the period talking and laughing.

By the time the bell rang, Karkat was dead set on telling Dave, hope filling his heart and love muddling his mind.


	12. Too Far

**WARNING: CONTAINS BLOOD IN COPIOUS AMOUNTS AND SEVERE ABUSE**

**Chapter 12**

**Too Far**

Karkat was currently lying on the kitchen floor admiring the beautiful swirls his blood made on the white floor.

He lay on his back in a splayed position, arm and legs spread out and dappled with the crimson liquid.

Blood was flowing from places he didn't even know he could get cut.

The crimson liquid poured from his mouth, his nose, his abdomen, and even his hands. He heard loud footsteps from above, heavy from alcohol. It was probably Bec, probably getting ready to go to sleep.

Karkat tried to move, but the pain was unbearable. He scrunched his face in pain, but it felt like it was tight around his skull, the dry tears causing this. Instead, he closed his eyes and remembered how he ended up like this.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

_Karkat was currently walking home alone. He asked Dave if he could walk with him, but Dave said that he had "a pile of homework so fucking high that it went over the god's heads." The brisk autumn air blew his hair a little bit, playing eith it. He finally reached his house and opened the door slightly, just big enough to fit his head through._

_He saw Bec laying on the couch belly side up. The smell of scotch emanated from him, filling up the entire living room with it's stench._

_Karkat stealthily entered the house and closed the door slowly. He gently placed his backpack on the floor and tiptoed to the kitchen._

_Ever since Dave had introduced him to the delectable idea of food, he began to eat more. He took it upon himself to not only buy groceries for Bec's food, but for himself too. His ribs were no longer sticking out, but they were still somewhat visible. _

_He made it to the fridge and opened it._

_That was his first mistake. _

_He forgot that the fridge made a creaking noise whenever it opened, and the sound shocked Karkat as it bounced around the house, bouncing off the walls. _

_In a second, Karkat felt a presence behind him. He didn't have to check to see who it was._

_"Hello there Karkat." Bec slurred out. It sent shivers up his spine and made him tense up. He slowly closed the fridge door and stood there as Bec placed his large hands on his shoulders and bent down to place his head on Karkat's shoulder._

_"Guess what?" he slurred, the stench of his breath making Karkat cringe inwardly._

_"I got fired today. Turns out that they don't need me any more..."_

_"Well maybe if you stopped being lazy you wouldn't have been fired." Karkat spat out. That was second mistake. _

_Karkat realized what he did and inhaled sharply, trying to take back those words._

_Bec's stood up and Karkat was scared of what he was going to do._

_"What did you say?" Bec growled out._

_The words flowed out of Karkat's mouth before he could stop them._

_"You heard me. Maybe if you stopped drinking and going to work hung-over, you would've kept your job." _

_Karkat placed his hands over his mouth in surprise, realizing what he had done._

_Suddenly, there was a 'crack!' and Karkat fell to the floor. He had placed his hands under his head as a cushion, but know they were probably broken or bruised. He felt a warm liquid trickle down his cheek, confirming that Bec had broken his nose. _

_He stayed on the ground, listening to Bec rummage through the drawers, utensils hitting against each other. _

_He wanted to close his eyes, but when he did, he was grabbed roughly by the collar of his shirt and was unceremoniously dropped onto the floor, back leaning against the fridge door. _

_He felt his eyes trying to close, but a bark from Bec opened them. _

_He saw Bec squatting on the floor, face contorted in anger and eyes red from both the alcohol and anger._

_"You little BITCH!" he yelled._

_"Don't you ever tell me that AGAIN!" he shouted._

_Bec pulled a knife from behind him and in a couple of swift movements, he reduced Karkat's shirt to nothing but tatters, exposing his stomach._

_"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Bec yelled as he brought the knife down on Karkat's skin, making a semi-deep gash from which blood spewed out. Karkat screamed in pain, but this only encouraged Bec._

_"I OWN YOU!" _

_Slash_

_"I HAVE FED YOU!" _

_Slash_

_"I HAVE CLOTHED YOU!"_

_Slash_

_"I HAVE EVEN ALLOWED A WORTHLESS,"_

_Slash_

_"STUPID,"_

_Slash_

_"CREATURE,"_

_Slash_

_"LIKE YOU,"_

_Slash_

_"TO GO TO SCHOOL!"_

_The pain was excruciating. Tears fell down Karkat's face, falling onto his chest leaving streaks on his now red chest. He was biting his lips to keep the screams in, but blood began to flow out because he was biting too hard._

_"AND YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS!"_

_Slash_

_"I DESERVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FROM WORTHLESS BEINGS LIKE YOU"_

_Slash_

_"YOU ARE NOTHING!"_

_Slash_

_"YOU NEED ME!"_

_Slash_

_"THE ONLY THING YOU __ARE"_

_Slash_

_"IS"_

_Slash_

_"A"_

_Slash _

_"BITCH!"_

_With that last slash, Bec dragged the knife lower, making Karkat's whole head swim with thoughts of how much it hurt._

_Bec pulled the knife out quickly and stood up, admiring his work._

_Karkat was breathing heavily and shaking everywhere._

_He looked down and cried even more when he what was etched onto his stomach._

_The words 'BITCH' were carved onto his skin, the letters scraggly. Karkat almost fainted at the sight of his own blood soaking his pants and pooling below him. _

_Bec, satisfied with what he had done, stood up and went to the sink, throwing a towel at Karkat. Karkat looked at it like it was some exotic creature. He was feeling light-headed, probably from the blood loss._

_"I want all this blood to be gone by the time I get back. Don't leave any traces." Bec said as he walked upstairs._

_Karkat, not wanting to infuriate Bec any further, grabbed the towel and shakily went on all fours. _

_He tried to make the red go away, but it only smeared with every swipe. _

_He was shaking violently now, head spinning and arms becoming weak. _

_He finally resigned and fell onto the tile, using the last of his strength to flip over on his back._

_0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0_

And that's how he currently was. Face and body covered in blood.

He no longer felt dizzy, but it still hurt.

He closed his eyes and told himself in a firm voice.

"You have to stop.

You can't live like this.

Call the cops.

You can do it."

He repeated these words in his head, giving him a newfound strength.

He still repeated these words as he slowly pulled out his still working cellphone out of his pocket.

He unlocked it and went to the dial pad.

With great confidence, he pressed the numbers 9-1-1 and placed it near his ear, listening to the ringing.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Carcine Vantas was sitting in his office, bored out of his mind, when suddenly his phone rang.

They only directed calls to the officers when their lines were full, so this surprised Carcine.

He picked up and said, "Police Officer Carcine Vantas here. What's the problem?"

"Hello?" the voice on the other end answered. It sounded so sad, so resigned.

"Yes?"

"Can you please come? I-I'm bleeding." the other voice said quietly.

"Wait. What?" Carcine asked.

"I'm bleeding."

"Who made you bleed?" Carcine asked worryingly.

"My dad...Just please come quick. I don't think I can stay conscience much longer..."

Carcine could tell that this person was tired and weak.

"Sure. Now, tell me where you are." Carcine said while pulling out a paper and pencil.

"I'm at 5096 Alternia Boulevard. I'm in the kitchen. I'm not that hard to miss, what with all this blood..." the other voice chuckled weakly.

If Carcine wasn't worried before, he was now. He kept talking to the other person as he assembled his squad.

Jake English and Darkleer Zahak were in their patrol cars, Simon Captor getting his medical supplies ready. Carcine hung up and faced his men.

"Men, we have to be prepared for what we are about to see. We must help him."

"Did he tell you his name?" Jake asked.

"Unfortunately, no. He lost consciousness a little while ago. We must hurry!" Carcine said.

Jake and Darkleer turned on their engines as Carcine went into Simon's car, taking the passenger seat. Simon slid in and faced Carcine.

"Are you thure he'th okay?" he asked, his lisp ever prominent.

Carcine sighed heavily as Simon pulled out of the building, the other two police following behind them, sirens blaring.

"I hope so." was all that Carcine said as they drove through the night, tensions running high.


	13. Should've

**Chapter 13**

**Should've...**

Carcine looked at the house where the call came from. It gave off an eerie feeling, sending shivers up his spine.

He looked back at his men, all three looking brave, their badges shining brightly along with their pistols.

He breathed in before motioning them to move forward.

When they reached the front door, Carcine turned around and faced his men.

"Jake and Darkleer, I want you to search the house for the dad. When you find him, apprehend him as quickly as possible. Simon, you'll come with me into the kitchen where the boy said he was. Have the ambulance number ready." he ordered.

All three men nodded their approval before Carcine entered the door. The boy said that it was unlocked before he fainted.

The first thing he noticed when he entered was the strong stench of alcohol. It burned his eyes, but he continued. He and Simon entered as did Jake and Darkleer. The other two men tiptoed up the stairs as Simon and Carcine walked silently to where they thought the kitchen was.

A small streak of blood showed and both Carcine and Simon walked through a doorway into a small kitchen.

What they saw made them stop in their tracks.

A young boy, no older than fifteen or sixteen lay on the floor, limbs spread out. His entire body was covered in blood, the most being on his stomach. A red tinted phone, which was probably white before, was in his hand. His face was relaxed, as if he were asleep.

Carcine stared at the boy until he was interrupted by shouts coming from upstairs. He shook his head and turned to Simon who was wearing a face of complete disbelief before he ran off only to return with his first-aid kit. He began to wipe away the dried blood with a wet towel a look of grief on his face.

"Call the ambulance. He's lost a lot of blood." Carcine ordered as he pulled on a latex glove before pulling the cell phone out of the boy's grasp.

Simon had finished cleaning the majority of blood and began calling for an ambulance as Carcine examined the phone.

He was looking for the young man's name, and found it when he flipped the phone over.

In black permanent marker were the words 'Karkat Noir'.

Glad that he finally knew this young man's name, he placed the phone into a small bag before kneeling down to examine Karkat.

Through the pool of dried blood, he saw words etched onto his stomach. He squinted his eyes and read the words.

It said 'BITCH', in angry, red laetteres making Carcine move back in disgust.

_'Who would do that to a child!?' _he thought as he heard more yells.

With one last look at Karkat, Carcine walked into the living room where he saw Jake and Darkleer holding back a large man. As Carcine neared him, he smelt the all too familiar scent of alcohol permeating from this man.

"Let me go!" he yelled as he thrashed about.

His attempts were in vain because Jake and Darkleer had a strong grip on him.

"Sir, may I ask your name?" Carcine asked calmly even though he felt a burning rage inside him.

"I'm Bec noir." the man replied.

"Are Karkat's father then?"

Carcine saw Jake's eyes widen with recognition at the voice.

"Yes.'

"Well, I would like to inform you are now going to be taken to the police station where you will be charged with child abuse."

"What!? Don't take me!?" Bec yelled as he was forcefully pulled outside.

Just then, Carcine heard the ambulance stop in front of the house. Carcine and Simon stepped to the side as medical personnel stormed in to the house, Carcine pointing them to where Karkat was.

They came out as fast as they came in, carrying a limp Karkat in their arms. Carcine and Simon went outside, where they saw Karkat being placed atop a stretcher and lifted into the ambulance before they whisked him away.

Carcine felt a little weary, what with seeing Karkat like that and his anger at Bec. He looked around and saw Jake talking on the phone, probably his boyfriend. As Carcine neared the black-haired police officer, he heard the last of their conversation.

"...I'll call you when I hear how he is and what hospital it is. I have to go now. Bye love." Jake said as he pressed the off button.

"Who were you talking to English?" Carcine asked.

"Dirk. His little brother knew Karkat, so I wanted to call him and him what happened." Jake responded as he stepped into his cop car.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Dave was laying on the couch in his pajama pants and no shirt watching "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" with Dirk when they were interrupted by Dirk's phone ringing. Dirk leaped from the couch, almost hurting himself in the process to reach his phone.

He stood up from the floor and answered.

"Hey there sexy~ What's happening?" Dirk said seductively. It was obviously his boyfriend, Jake English, a police officer.

Dave rolled his eyes, which were not hidden behind his shades, and continued staring at a rainbow-maned pony zoom across the screen.

Feeling that he was about to get sick from the overall sweetness from the cartoon, he turned and saw Dirk with a look of complete and udder disbelief on his face.

"Yeah...Uh-huh...I'm going to tell Dave...Bye, I love you." Dirk said as he hung up.

"Dave?..." Dirk said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Dave lifted his head and saw his big brother looking at him with sad eyes.

"What is it?"

"It's about Karkat..."

Dave had told Dirk about Karkat and how he loved the short, grumpy teen. He messaged Karkat a couple of times when he got home, but Karkat never answered.

Dave sat up enthusiastically before he realized that Dirk's face was coated in grief.

This couldn't be good.

"What about him?"

"He got hurt really bad, Jake said that they went to his house and he..."

Dave leaned forward, wanting to hear more, wanting to know what happened to Karkat.

"They saw blood...a lot of it. He's being transported to a hospital now, but Jake said that he'll call me when he finds out which hospital he's staying in."

If Dave wasn't worried before, he definitely was now. He jumped off the couch and ran to his room, coming out with a wrinkled red t-shirt on and black sneakers.

"We have to go see him." Dave said in a worried tone.

"We can't little man. I don't know whe-" Dirk started to say before he was interrupted by his phone ringing. He sighed and answered. He didn't say anything the whole time.

A minute or two and an "I love you too." later, Dirk hung up.

He looked at Dave and sighed.

"That was Jake, he told me where Karkat is. We can go now if you want t-" Dirk was interrupted once again as Dave flew past him and standing with his hand on the doorknob, car keys in the other.

"Let's go." he said.

Dirk chuckled lightly and shook his head before walking over to Dave and taking the car keys out of his hand and opening the door.

Dave flew out the door, and by the time Dirk got out the door, Dave was already had his hand on the handle.

Dirk unlocked the car and Dave jumped into the passenger seat, with Dirk sliding into the drivers seat shortly after.

Dave was anxious, to say the least.

He should've walked Karkat home...

He should've stayed with him...

Dave started wringing his hands nervously as Dirk started the engine and sped off towards the hospital...

Towards Karkat.


	14. Crying In A Hospital

**Chapter 14**

**Crying In A Hospital**

Dave and Dirk entered the hospital with great haste, Dave panicking at what state he would Karkat in.

They found the front desk, a small lady with short brown hair behind the desk, shuffling papers and looking positively bored.

Dave reached her first, although he couldn't speak that well from all the nerves.

Dirk walked up and faced the woman.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Dirk asked.

The woman looked up and smiled sweetly.

"Hello there! Looking for someone?" she asked politely. This only angered Dave more.

_How could she be so fucking calm!?_

Dave breathed in deeply to calm himself down, but in the corner of his mind, he was still nervous.

"Hi, we're looking for a Karkat Noir. Do you know what room he's in?" Dirk inquired.

The woman's smile fell as soon as Dirk said Karkat's name.

"Karkat? Oh yes. They brought him in not too long ago. The poor dear was in very bad shape. I can't imagine what horrible person did that to him...He's in room 96B, just a floor up."

Dave ran off towards the stairs, leaving Dirk alone. The woman stared at the younger blonde before turning to Dirk.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"He's just worried. Bye!" Dirk said as he sped off in the same direction.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Carcine was in a chair besides Karkat's bed, not wearing his police uniform. The small boy had a blood drip and many other things connected to him that Carcine couldn't quite place.

The hospital room was pure white, a daring splash of beige coating the blanket that covered Karkat. Karkat himself was in a large blue hospital gown, his face wiped of any blood and relaxed. His breathing was normal, a slight snore escaping his lips.

Carcine smiled and continued to look at Karkat. He didn't know why, but he felt compelled to stay at this young man's side. He had seen what Bec had done, and now Carcine felt like he had to make up for him. Show Karkat that he didn't deserve to be treated like that.

Carcine had been granted permission to look through Karkat's phone. It was now back to its original white, although it still retained some red. Carcine flipped the fiddled with the phone, looking at it curiously. He didn't want to unlock it, but it was too daunting.

He was about to turn it on when he heard running from outside. Suddenly, the door flew open and a blonde teen rushed in, stopping in his tracks when he saw Carcine. Carcine stood up, holding his stare.

Another blonde came in, slightly panting.

_'Most likely the this young man's brother.' _Carcine thought as the older grasped the younger man's shoulder.

"Dave, don't run off like that." the older male said before he noticed Carcine's presence. He stood up and held out his hand towards Carcine. "Dirk Strider. Who are you?" Dirk asked as Carcine shook his hand.

"Carcine Vantas, the police officer who found Karkat." Carcine replied.

They heard a whimper and they turned their heads towards Dave.

Dave was staring at Karkat's form, tears welling up.

"I think we should leave the room." Carcine suggested. Dirk stared at Dave and back at Carcine before nodding his approval. They left the room silently, leaving Dave alone.

0o0o0o0o0o

Dave heard the door close, but didn't turn around. His gaze was set on Karkat. Dave felt horrible. He walked up to Karkat's side and noticed things he never would've noticed about the grumpy teen.

He noticed the light freckles speckled Karkat's lightly tanned skin. His face was not holding his usual grumpy façade, but was calm. Raven black hair fell over his closed eyes, moving with every breath he took. Dave looked over Karkat's body outline and decided to investigate. He was about to lift the covers, but thought against it. He didn't want Karkat to be cold.

Instead, Dave placed the blanket back on top of Karkat's body again, even tucking him in. He pulled the chair Carcine was sitting in closer to Karkat's bedside, where he gently sat down.

Karkat chest rose and fell, showing that he was okay.

But Dave didn't feel okay.

He wanted to hug Karkat, tell him that he loved him, that he wanted to be with him, but Dave knew that his words would fall on deaf ears.

Instead, Dave pulled out Karkat's hand and placed it in his own, shocked at how warm it was compared to the rest of the hospital. Dave felt the tears starting to spill, falling onto his hand. He couldn't take it any more. He laid his head down on the covers, still holding Karkat's hand.

Sobs wracked the young blonde's body, the tears creating a small puddle where his head lay.

"_I'm sorry," _he choked out.

_"I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry that I'm not your hero. I-I love you Karkat Noir. More than you could possibly think." _Dave sobbed out, not hearing the blankets rustle. A soft voice that Dave knew all too well spoke up.

"Dave?"


	15. Revelations

**Chapter 15**

**Revelations **

It was dark, black covering everything that Karkat laid eyes on. He looked around, trying to find some light, some warmth in this dark world. He searched and searched, trying to find an exit.

His body was tired, his mind and soul weak after all that searching. He was about to give up when he heard a sad voice break through the darkness.

"_I'm sorry..." _the voice echoed. Karkat tried to stay up, looking for the source of the voice.

A small light appeared in front of him, floating in front of the boy's eyes.

He hesitantly reached out a hand towards the small orb and cupped it in his hands. It was surprisingly warm.

_"I'm sorry I couldn't help you..." _the voice said, this time coming from the small light. It grew just a fraction and became slightly warmer.

"What did I need help with?" Karkat wondered aloud.

_"I'm sorry that I'm not your hero..." _the light said.

"It's alright. You're making warm. What more could I ask for?" Karkat said. The voice sounded familiar...

_"I-I love you Karkat Noir, more than you could ever know..."_

the light said as it became even bigger. Something inside of Karkat clicked as he recognized the voice. It was Dave.

He began to cry, not with sadness, but with joy. Someone loved him...

The light became bigger and warmer with every tear that fell.

Karkat held the ball of light close to his heart and saw with teary eyes as it enveloped him in kindness.

"I love you too..." he said as he was blanketed by the bright light, knowing that he would leave this dreary place.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Karkat woke up to the sound of someone sobbing. He blinked his eyes groggily, sleep blurring his vision. He was no longer in that dark place, but rather one that was a stark white. It was still unbearably cold. He tried to move to get warmer, but noticed that he was tightly tucked in. He looked around and saw that he was in a hospital room.

_'Why am I here?'_ he thought before he remembered what happened.

The knife, the cuts, the blood...

Karkat tried to raise his hand in order to wipe the sleep off of his eyes, but felt a weight bearing down on his hand. He looked at his hand and saw a head full of soft blonde hair, a large tear stain underneath. Another hand was on top of Karkat's that as warm as the ball of light that woke him up. He only knew one person with blonde hair...

"Dave?" he asked softly.

Dave raised his head rapidly and Karkat saw how horrible Dave looked. His face was wet with tears, his eyes red and swollen. Karkat stared at Dave before noticing his eyes. They were a bright red, in contrast to his own dark red ones.

"Karkat?" Dave asked, his voice weak from crying.

Karkat nodded slowly before Dave pounced on him.

"Karkat!" Dave yelled as he wrapped his arms around Karkat's body.

Karkat sat there, surprised at what just happened. When he registered what was happening he slowly wrapped around Dave's form.

"Karkat, I was so worried. I thought you were going to..." Dave said as he hugged Karkat tighter.

"I'm okay Dave. Obviously, if I'm talking to you right now." Karkat said, smiling slightly.

"Karkat, _I love you_." Dave whispered.

Karkat felt a wave of warmth fall over him, making feel something he'd never thought he'd feel.

Happiness.

"I love you too, you over dramatic bucket of emotions."

"Don't kill the moment."

"Fine, now would you please get off of me. I don't want the cuts to open even more." Karkat joked, not realizing that Dave had not been told about what happened.

Dave backed away, practically jumping off of the bed.

"What cuts?" he questioned.

"Oh...You see..." Karkat began, but was interrupted by the room door opening.

In came Carcine Vantas and Dirk Strider, both of which stared at the two boys.

"Hello." Karkat said meekly. "Who are you?" he asked.

Carcine smiled at Karkat before answering.

"My name is Carcine Vantas, I'm the officer you called tonight." he said.

"And I'm Dirk Strider, Dave's big bro."

"Oh, well. Hello again." Karkat said.

The door opened again and in came a tall, lanky man in a large white lab-coat that barely touched the floor. His ginger hair was neatly combed and contrasted with his pale skin that held numerous freckles. His eyes were a nice green, the same green as pants and suspenders. His shoes were a bright white with green soles. He wore a white button-up shirt with white buttons. A green name tag was pinned on his lab-coat, reading 'Dr. Scratch.'

Doctor Scratch saw that Karkat was awake and beamed.

"Great to see you're awake, mister Noir. And I see you have company." Doctor Scratch said as he eyed the other three males in the room.

"I assume you've told them what happened?" Doctor Scratch asked.

"Not yet..." Karkat answered. He didn't want to tell Dave. What would he think?

"Oh." Doctor Scratch's smile faded away.

"Well, I would say that you could tell them now, but unfortunately, visiting hours are over. I suggest you tell them tomorrow. You have to rest up." Doctor Scratch said before he left, his coat billowing behind him.

Karkat nodded and looked at Dave with pleading eyes.

Dave took the hint and followed Doc Scratch's lead, Dirk and Carcine trailing behind him. The door closed and Karkat was alone yet again. The lights in the room went off by themselves, surrounding Karkat in darkness. He felt lost, but remembered the warmth that Dave made him feel. He smiled and turned around, facing the window that he never noticed.

Pulling the covers closer, Karkat fell asleep with a warmth in his heart.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Dave, Dirk, and Carcine were in Doctor Scratch's office. Dave wanted to know what happened to Karkat, practically begging. Doctor Scratch finally gave up and allowed the three males into his office.

He was currently looking through his desk drawers, Dirk and Dave in the two chairs available and Carcine standing behind them.

Doctor Scratch found what he was looking for and pulled out a stack of photographs.

"I must warn you, these photographs show some mildly disturbing images." Doctor Scratch warned, trying to persuade Dave to not look.

"I don't care. I want to see them." Dave said calmly.

Doctor Scratch sighed in resignation before handing Dave the photos. Dave gave the man a questioning glance before looking down at what he held in his hands.

These images weren't mildly disturbing. They were downright horrible.

The first showed Karkat on a white stretcher, blood covering everything, even his hair.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Doctor Scratch said.

Dave felt tears form as he looked at the other photographs. They were mostly of Karkat's unconscious form, but the last one was what made Dave break.

It was a close-up of Karkat's chest, the word 'BITCH' written in large, angry letters. Scabs were starting to form, but pearls of blood still managed to escape.

Dave continued to stare, his whole body shaking with anger.

"_Who did this?" _he whispered angrily.

"His father. We're going to stitch up the cuts tomorrow because we were short-handed today." Doctor Scratch replied.

"_I'll kill him..." _Dave whispered angrily as he placed the photos on Doctor Scratch's desk.

"Hm?"

"I'll kill him!" Dave yelled, standing up. Doctor Scratched seemed unfazed by this sudden outburst.

"How could he do that!? Especially to someone as innocent as Karkat!?" Dave shouted. he turned towards Carcine, anger taking over.

"Did you arrest that...that...that _vile _excuse of a human being?" he asked, slightly calming down. Carcine stared at Dave calmly responded, "Yes, he is currently being held at temporary location. He will be charged with child abuse though."

This calmed Dave down significantly. He exhaled deeply before turning to Doctor Scratch.

"I'm sorry for my outburst doc." he said.

"Your reaction is understandable. Now I must ask you to leave my office. I have very important matters to attend to. You may visit Karkat tomorrow, but now I must advise you to go home and rest." Doctor Scratch said.

Dirk nodded before standing up and walking towards the door.

"Come on little man." he said. Dave followed silently. He was about to exit when he stopped and turned towards Carcine.

"Thank you for finding him." he whispered.

"No problem. Thank you for showing him that he can be loved." Carcine replied smiling.

Dave let out a small chuckle before exiting the room.

Carcine exited as well, waving a good bye to Doctor Scratch.

The office door closed and Doctor Scratch was alone in the room. He stared at the door before turning his attention to the pictures.

_'I hope he finds a better life.'_

Doctor Scratch thought as he put the pictures away in his drawer, glad that someone would show Karkat that everything would be okay.


	16. Stitched Up and Homework

**Chapter 16**

**Stitched Up and Homework**

o0o

A/N: Karkat's incident happened on a Thursday. This is happening on a Friday.

Karkat awoke to a small poke on his shoulder. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, sleep threatening to close them again. He was about to fall asleep again when this time he was lightly shaken on the shoulder. He growled and looked over his shoulder, an array of colorful words forming in his mind. He was about to let loose his sharp tongue on the poor fool who dare wake him, but paused when he saw who it was.

A petite woman stood before him, a large smile on her face. Light blonde hair framed her face, slightly curling up at the edges. Her skin was as white as the hospital room, except freckles dotted her cheeks and her rosy cheeks. Her eyes were a blue so light, they looked white. She wore the traditional nurses outfit, and it suit her well.

"I'm sorry for waking you up Mister Noir, but I had to in order to get you ready for your operation." she said.

"What operation?" Karkat asked groggily.

"Well, to sew up your, erm..." she looked down at Karkat's abdomen, a forlorn look on her face. It seemed unnatural on her. Karkat followed her gaze and remembered about his injuries. An awkward silence fell before Karkat spoke up.

"Okay, but what's your name?" Karkat asked.

"Oh, how silly of me! My name is Calliope Cherub. I'm your nurse for the remainder of your stay." she said happily, although her eyes said otherwise.

Karkat, glad that he now knew this woman's name, smiled back at her. "Well, what do I have to do?" he asked.

"We have to wash the injuries, prep you, and calculate the amount of anesthesia that has to be given to you." Calliope mused, counting off the tasks off her small fingers.

"Shall we get started?" she asked.

Karkat nodded as Calliope helped him out of bed.

0o0o0o0o0o

After a quick bath that included Calliope on the verge of tears at seeing Karkat's cuts, the both of them were back in the room, Karkat on his bed in a clean hospital gown and Calliope in a chair near his bed. They struck up conversation, laughing at each others antics.

Calliope had just finished telling Karkat about her fan fiction when a knock was heard. They both turned towards the door and stared at it for a second or two before Calliope gasped, causing Karkat to turn his head rapidly towards the nurse.

"I forgot to tell you! You'll meet doctor Spades, the doctor who offered to do your operation!" she piped up gleefully before running to the door and opening it, allowing the person outside to enter.

In came a tall man, the lab-coat reaching his ankles. He was a head taller than Calliope, but maybe smaller than Doctor Scratch. He was very tan, contrasting with the white room. His jaw was square, giving him the impression that he was scowling. Dark, curly hair topped his head, falling just above his eyebrows. He wore a white shirt and black pants. Shiny black dress shoes adorned his feet, as black as his hair. He had an ugly scar across his left eye, which was covered with a black eye patch. His right hand seemed lifeless, but was very detailed, making it seem as if it were real.

Calliope waved at him gleefully before signaling to come closer.

Doctor Spades was intimidating, to say the least. He loomed over Karkat, dark brown eyes locked onto the boy. Karkat shrunk into his shoulders, scared of this man.

But that feeling washed away when doctor Spades held out a large, calloused hand, slight smile on his face.

"Hello mister Noir, I'm doctor Spades slick." he said, his voice deep. A slight accent was heard, but from where Karkat didn't know.

Karkat replied hello back and shook Spade's hand. They only shook once before doctor Spades let go and faced Calliope.

"Where's miss Paint?" he asked.

"She called in sick. She'll probably come in tomorrow or the day after." Calliope replied.

A small frown appeared on doctor Spade's face and he turned away.

Calliope leaned in towards Karkat and whispered, "Miss Paint is another nurse here. Doctor Spade's has a huge crush on her. It's really cute actually." she giggled. Doctor Sapdes turned around and gave an annoyed look . Calliope squeaked and jumped back from Karkat, although her smile still remained.

" It was nice meeting you mister Noir, but we have to get you to the operating room. It's not big, but it'll do." Doctor Spades said. Karkat nodded and jumped off the bed, landing on the cold floor. It sent shivers up his spine, but they faded away as he followed doctor Spades out the door, Calliope behind him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Dave tapped his foot nervously. He was biting his cheek and twirling a pencil in his hand. It was the last class of the day. And it was the worst class too, history. Who wanted to know what a dead dude from Europe did thousands of years ago? Dave sighed anxiously, wishing that time would go by faster. He looked up at the clock above the teacher's head, trying to tune out her voice.

Only ten more seconds...

Five

Four

Three

Two

One

_Brrriiing_!

The bell rang and Dave dashed out the classroom, leaving his classmates in the dust. He sprinted in the hallways, twisting and turning, dodging the other students.

In no time at all, Dave reached the front of the school. He asked Dirk to pick him up today so they could go visit Karkat. Sure enough, Dirk's car was the first car there, a couple other cars behind him.

Dave walked over to the car and slid into the passenger seat, throwing his backpack to the backseat.

It landed with a loud _thump_, making the car shake slightly.

"What's in the bag?" Dirk asked as he pulled out of the school property.

"Homework for me and Karkat." Dave replied.

"Doesn't that hurt your back?"

"Naw man. My back is perfectly fine." Dave lied. In truth, his back felt sore.

"When did they do his operation?" Dave asked, changing the subject.

"About the time school started. I called and they said he would probably still be asleep by the time we arrive."

"I hope he isn't. I want to ask him something important..." Dave trailed off as he looked out the window. They entered the freeway, cars buzzing by them.

They made small talk the entire drive to the hospital.

They pulled into the hospital parking lot and walked in, Dirk having to hold Dave back in order to keep him from running off. They silently went up the stairs and entered the hallway where Karkat was.

They stopped in front of the wooden door, Dave becoming nervous. Why was he nervous? Karkat would be okay, right?

Dave reached for the doorknob hesitantly, stopping halfway there. He was about to pull back when he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Dirk Staring down at him. Their eyes met and Dirk gave Dave a reassuring nod. Dave nodded back and opened the door.

He stepped in, Dirk following him. The door clicked behind them as Dave stopped in front of Karkat.

Karkat was lying in bed, asleep. A few light snores escaped him, making him seem cuter than he already was. He looked pretty peaceful, considering what he went through last night.

A nurse was at Karkat's bedside, checking his monitors. She heard the door close and whipped around, surprised, before she flashed a smile at the two males.

"Hello there! Are you here visiting Karkat? Wait, duh, you obviously are if you're here. Silly girl. I don't believe I 've introduced myself. I'm Calliope Cherub, Karkat's nurse." the woman said, way too fast. She held out a dainty little hand and Dave took it. He was surprised at how warm it was compared to the rest of the hospital.

Calliope let go and hopped towards the door.

"I have to be leaving now, so you can stay here. Can you please wake Karkat up? He's been asleep the whole time and I'm sure the anesthesia will be wearing off. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you." she said, sending a sly wink aimed at Dave before she exited the room.

Dave stood there befuddled at the action before Dirk spoke up.

"Well she sure is peppy. I have to leave little man. Jake and I are going somewhere. I trust you to behave?" Dirk asked as he walked towards the door.

"What, you don't trust me? I am appalled at your accusation." Dave said dramatically. He heard Dirk chuckle and open the door. "Whatever. Just call me when you want me to pick you up." Dirk said as he slipped out.

Dave nodded and went over to Karkat's bedside. His eyes scanned over Karkat's sleeping body.

He eyed his backpack and remembered the homework they had to do.  
Deciding to wake him up in order to start, Dave gently shook Karkat's shoulder.

"Karkat, wake up. It's me, Dave." he said as he tried to wake him up. Karkat groaned and fluttered his eyes open. It was all blurry. A familiar shape stood in front of him, leaning close. The sleep faded away and the shape became clearer.

The shape took Dave's form, making Karkat smile a bit. "Dave, what are you doing here?" he said groggily.

"I came to see how you were dumbass. I also brought homework. We still have to do that music assignment." Dave said as he sat on the bed, trying not to sit on Karkat's hand.

"Shit. I forgot we had to do that." Karkat said.

"Don't worry. I told the teacher about your...predicament and she extended the deadline for the class."

"Thank god. To be honest, I don't have the imagination to write a song. I only sing the songs, not write them." Karkat said.

"I have no idea what to write about either." Dave admitted.

"Guess we'll just have to wait until one of us gets an idea." Karkat said. He sat up and crossed his arms over his chest, which was hard to do with all the wires attached.

Dave remembered that Karkat had his operation and felt curious and slightly angry.

"Karkat..." he began.

"Hm?"

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Dave asked, not wanting to look at Karkat in the face.

"About what?" Karkat asked.

Dave felt his anger rise.

"About Bec. I would've stopped him from doing _that_ to you." he said angrily, pointing a finger at Karkat's stomach.

"I didn't tell you because..." Karkat trailed off.

"Because what!?" Dave snapped. He stood up and faced Karkat, breathing heavily.

"Because you didn't trust me! Or maybe because you didn't want help in escaping that hell hole you called a home!" Dave yelled.

Karkat was tearing up, but maintained a clam face. "Dave, calm down." he said as he gently grabbed Dave's arm. He began patting Dave until the other male calmed down a little bit and sat down again.

"Dave, I didn't tell you because-" Karkat began but was cut off when the door opened and Calliope peered in.

"Mister Noir, you're awake! I'm checking in to make sure mister Strider over here kept his word. I hope I didn't interrupt anything?" she said sadly.

Dave was about to tell her off, but Karkat placed a hand over his mouth, silencing the blonde.

"You didn't interrupt anything Calliope. Dave and I were just about to start our homework. Right _Dave_?" Karkat said firmly, hand still over Dave's mouth. Dave nodded slowly. Both boys looked back at Calliope. She had a look of confusion on her face as she stared questioningly at the boys. She then smiled and waved good-bye, but not before telling Dave that she would come back in about two hours to give Karkat his pain medication.

After she left, Dave and Karkat began their homework. It was more goofing off than doing homework, but they still got some work done.

They were finishing some math homework silently when Dave piped up.

"Karkat, can I ask you something?" Dave said nervously. He started fiddling with his pencil.

"What is it?" Karkat asked.

Dave's heart thumped loudly against his chest. He hoped it wasn't loud enough for Karkat to hear.

"Will, will you be my boyfriend?" Dave asked.

The room fell eerily silent as he finished, neither of them moving an inch.


	17. Agreements, Pills, and Therapists

**Chapter 17**

**Agreements, Pills, and Therapists**

o0o

The room fell eerily silent. The two boys stared at each other, not one of them moving an inch. Time felt as if it had stopped, a feeling Dave wished would go away. His heart was pumping so hard that it hurt his chest. He and Karkat held their stare before Dave spoke up, stumbling over his words.

"I-I'm sorry. That was stupid of me to say. You probably don't think of me that way. Can we just forget I said anything-" he rambled.

"Yes." Karkat said calmly, interrupting Dave. Dave sat there, mouth agape, trying to comprehend what Karkat said. He shook his head and stared at Karkat.

"Wha-what did you say?" he asked, leaning in closer.

"I said yes. I'll be your boyfriend." Karkat said turning to Dave, smiling. Dave sat there, flabbergasted, until he returned the smile.

"Thank you Karkat Noir. You just made me the second happiest Strider ever."

"Don't mention it. Now let's do our homework." Karkat.

"Of course love." Dave said. He leaned towards Karkat and planted a kiss on Karkat's cheek, causing the recipient to blush.

They resumed their work, eventually diminishing the pile of homework by a large margin.

They were about to start their art homework, but Calliope came in carrying a small paper cup with a small object inside and a glass of water.

"Hello again!" she greeted as she skipped in. "I have your medicine right here Karkat." she said as she placed the medicine on the side table.

She saw their homework piled on the bed and smiled. "I'm glad to see that you're doing schoolwork. Hopefully you'll get good grades." she said as she sat down in another chair, pulling it alongside Dave.

"Yep. We only have our art homework left." Dave informed her while picking up a blank paper and pencil.

"Art? Oooooh, art was my favorite subject!" Calliope said cheerfully.

"Then why are you a nurse?" Karkat asked as he began to draw.

"Art, unfortunately doesn't sell as much as I had hoped. I am content with just doing it as a hobby. I took up being a nurse so I could pay the rent. Since my brother is gone, I have to pay for everything." Calliope said, although somewhat sadly.

"Where's your brother?"

"In Germany, trying to sell his _mediocre _art there." she said full of spite.

"Let's not talk about that. What's your art homework?" she asked, peering over their heads to look at their papers.

"Just draw someone and shade it with pencil." Karkat said, his pencil dancing on his paper.

"Oooh, mind if I join?" Calliope asked eagerly.

"Sure, why not." Dave shrugged.

Calliope pulled a pencil and paper out of nowhere and began to draw. The three spent the entire time doodling. Calliope proved herself to be the superior artist of the three, with Karkat just as good.

Soon, it was sunset. Calliope was telling Dave and Karkat about her job when her watch beeped.

"Oh, will you look at the time. Visiting hours are over. I'm sorry mister Strider, but you'll have to leave." she told Dave, pouting slightly.

Dave nodded and stood up, stretching. He, with the help of Calliope and Karkat, packed the finished homework away. Dave left the room with wave and a kiss blown at Karkat.

"What a sweet boy." Calliope said before standing up.

"Karkat, I also have some news for you." she said.

"What is it?" Karkat asked.

"Doctor Scratch has assigned you a therapist. 'To find if you have other problems' he said. That officer, mister Vantas will also join so he can write down evidence." She told him as she handed him the pill and a glass of water.

"That's good." Karkat said before swallowing the pill. It felt sour going down his throat, leaving an acidic aftertaste.

"Bluh!" he said in disgust as he set the glass down.

"I'm sorry if it tastes bad, but it will help soothe any pain." Calliope said as she picked up the glass and headed towards the door.

"I guess..." Karkat said. He shimmied himself lower into the covers and pulling the sheets close to him.

"Good night Karkat!" Calliope said as she disappeared out the door.

"Good night Calliope~" Karkat yawned after her. Soon, the lights went off and Karkat found himself alone yet again. He remembered the many things that happened today and smiled. He couldn't wait to see Dave again...


	18. The First Session, Sort Of

**Chapter 18**

**The First Session, Sort of**

Karkat sat patiently in his bed, hands clasped and placed in his lap. His hair was clean and brushed, with the help of Calliope of course. He was excited, to say the least. Today was the first session with the therapist Doctor Scratch commissioned. He said that she was good therapist, and Karkat hoped she was. Doctor Scratch also said that officer Vantas would come join the session. Karkat didn't know why, but he thought of the officer as a second father, even though they hardly talked.

Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the room in a soft yellow light. It was beginning to feel like autumn, although Karkat hadn't seen the leaves turn into their bright colors of red and yellow. He had been allowed to wander around, but he only got so far because he got tired quickly.

Instead, Karkat looked out the window, wishing that he could go outside and enjoy the autumn breeze that herald the coming of pumpkin spice lattes, big piles of crunchy leaves, the feeling of the sun on his cheeks, bundling up, hanging out with Dave.

Karkat smiled at the thought of Dave, wishing that he was here right now. Karkat was lost in his daydream that he was surprised when the door opened. In came a tall woman with blonde hair pulled up in a bun, two light pink and purple needles poking out form the top. She had on a white shirt with pink accents and a black pencil skirt on, a name tag reading "Doctor Lalonde" pinned onto the shirt. Her violet eyes were behind black, half-moon spectacles.

Karkat was surprised that this was Rose's mom. Rose had told them that her mother used to be an alcoholic, but when she almost died from alcohol poisoning, she changed her ways. She was now one of most renowned therapists in the city.

She gracefully waked in and pulled a chair to Karkat's bedside. She looked at him with a knowing look and got her pen ready to write.

"Mister Noir, do you know why I am here?" she asked.

"To be honest, miss Lalonde, I really don't know." Karkat replied shyly.

"Well, for starters, you can call me Roxanne. Any friend of Rose's is a friend of mine." she said sweetly, smiling slightly. "Second of all, I am here to evaluate your mind, how it processes, and if it affects the way you act. A mister Vantas will also join, in order to gather evidence." she stated simply.

The door opened and Carcine Vantas came in, although he was not in his police uniform. Instead he wore a button-up shirt and dress pants. His badge was pinned to the front of his shirt, the fluorescent light shining off of it.

He pulled up another chair and sat next to Roxanne. He waved hello to Karkat, which was gladly returned. He pulled out a tape recorder and placed it on the armrest, pressing play before leaning back on the chair.

"Now that everyone's here, shall we begin? Tell us how your life was up until now." Roxanne said, leaning forward just slightly.

Karkat exhaled and began.

"It all began when I stood I front of my old-then new-house..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

_**A/N**: Hey party people! I'm going to ask you this before writing the next chapter. Would you be bothered if Karkat had two dads, or female/male parents? Please leave a review of which set of parents would be better. Also, leave who you think would be the other parent is (since Bec is already one) _

_Stay Fantastic~_


	19. Story Time

**Chapter 19**

**Story Time**

"It all started when I stood in front of my old-then new-house..." Karkat began. The hospital room dissolved as Karkat remembered the happy days...

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Karkat was just ten years old, his curiosity was at its peak. His small hands were both in strong hands. He looked to his parents._

_On his right was his other mother, a woman by the name Prospita Noir. She smiled softly at Karkat, making the young boy smile in return. He had never seen his mother smile that big in all his life. She wore a short grey dress and black shoes. Light brown hair topped her head, coming off in small curls._

_The man holding his left hand made a small squeeze and Karkat turned towards his father, Bec. Bec was obviously much younger and more handsome back then. He had messy black hair, much like Karkat's own scruffy dark brown hair. Bec wore a crisp, clean suit, a colorful handkerchief poking out from the front pocket._

_Looked down at Karkat with a kind, fatherly look on his face. "Do you like your new house Karkat?" he asked. Karkat nodded eagerly, hoping that this home was as good as the last._

_Bec had gotten promoted to another branch of his job, becoming a title lower than CEO. They moved to a nice town, a quiet neighborhood, and a clean house._

_They walked towards the house as one, Karkat trying not let go of his parents hands. But somehow, he couldn't hold on to his fathers..._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Karkat stopped reminiscing, his memories fading away as they transformed into the white room. Doctor Lalonde and officer Vantas appeared from the fog, each with a questioning look on their faces.

Doctor Lalonde spoke up, clearing the last of the fog that covered the room.

"When exactly did the abuse start Karkat?" she asked.

"Not long after we moved in. Maybe about a couple months in." he replied.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Of course"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_A few months passed and everything was okay. If you could call the yells that echoed through the house okay. Bec got stressed because of all the stress of working late. Prospita often berated Bec for coming home late, him retaliating that his job was what kept them alive. That her job ,which was working at a mail center, was not helping diminish the stacks of bills that seemed to grow larger every second._

_Their arguments caused Karkat to hide in his room, wishing for his parents to stop. Under the covers, Karkat found consolation with his plush crab._

_The arguments went on and off for months. Each one ending with apologies and a hug. Karkat heard the last fight happen just outside his door. His name popped up now and then before turning into angry whispers. It was on this night that Karkat wished that he was gone._

_That night, while he was pretending to be asleep, Karkat's room door creaked open. He opened one eye slightly, just enough to make out the shape of his mother in the doorway. As she walked closer to Karkat, he saw that she was dressed like she was going somewhere. His heart dropped when he saw a suitcase in her hand, covered with stamps of far off places._

_She bent over Karkat and kissed him softly on the forehead. He felt a tear his face, but he didn't dare move an inch. She stood up and started petted his head, whispering a lullaby that she used when Karkat was younger._

_This only made Karkat's heart ache more. He didn't want to see his mom sad. What happened to her smiles, her warm personality?_

_She finished and stiffled a sob. Karkat felt a sob stuck in his throat._

_"I'm sorry my love." she whispered, sadness coating her words. She turned to leaveand was out the door when Karkat sat up._

_"I love you mommy." he busted out. She turned around and the hallway light created an aura of light around her._

_"And I love you too my little crab. I'm sorry" she said before turnining around and leaving. Those were the last words he ever heard from her._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"How do you feel about your mom leaving you? Angry? Sad?" doctor Lalonde inquired.

"To be honest, I'm proud of her. She got out of that hellhole before things got bad. I only wished she took me with her..." Karkat said, trailing off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_When Bec found out Prospita left, he was very angry. He cursed and yelled, his cries shaking the house. Karkat tried to hide in his room like before, but Bec managed to drag him out._

_"Don't you dare hide from me young man!" he yelled._

_"Don't be a damn coward!" he cried. All the while, Karkat stood there, holding back the tears. Bec had never yelled at him before._

_Over the years, the screams became more and more. He yelled at Karkat for every reason. Even for things as little as not brushing his hair. He started to drink when Karkat was in seventh grade. His words became more spiteful. A few hits were dealt, 'discipline' Bec called it._

_Bec's rage continued to grow as Karkat grew. The hits became customary, as well as kicks once he entered eighth grade. One time, a bottle was thrown at Karkat's head, missing and hitting the wall behind him. Bruises became more prominent, scattered across his body in places no one would see._

_Karkat didn't want to tell his friends. Bec had made him believe that he was just a bother. That his friends were fake._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"How many friends did you have exactly Karkat?" Carcine asked.

"About eleven. In reality, I had only two friends and nine tolerable people. We still hung out with each other." Karkat replied.

"Do you still have their numbers?" Carcine asked.

"Yeah, but I don't wan to bother them. They probably already forgot about me. " Karkat said sadly.

"Is it alright if I look for their numbers on your phone?"

"Go ahead." Karkat waved his hand. "I doubt those are still their numbers."

"Thank you. You may continue."

"Alright..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Karkat was in eighth grade when Bec decided to move again. By that time, Karkat had taught himself how to survive in his own home. He tried to ignore Bec when he entered his alcohol-induced rage. Oftentimes though, he couldn't hide. The proof being more bruises, cigarette burns and cuts, some of Bec's and others of his own doing._

_Karkat put on a grumpy façade, trying to hide his tears and frowns. They were replaced with glares and scowls, although his friends still put up with him._

_When they left, Karkat was only allowed two bags of luggage. He crammed everything he could, managing to pack everything he loved and then some. They left in the dead of the night, the house becoming smaller and smaller as they drove farther and farther away._

_Karkat didn't even tell his friends that he was leaving. He left without a goodbye, not even a note explaining his absence._

_He was now a freshman at Suburb high. Things got slightly better at home. Bec still continued working, although somewhat drunk. Karkat was new to the neighborhood and didn't feel like he belonged. He became somewhat reclusive, avoiding everyone._

_Everything seemed to eb getting better until Bec was demoted to line worker. Things turned pretty ugly. Bec now added more verbal abuse, his words tinted with hate and alcohol. He was able to break down Karkat's psyche with every spite filled word that left his mouth._

_Karkat believed that no one cared anymore. He shunned himself from others, thinking that only the shadows in the corners would accept him. Although he stepped away from others, he wished for someone to talk to him, to tell him everything would be alright. For someone to hug him, comfort him. This only brought the wrong comfort._

_He was bullied on a daily basis, busted lips and black eyes joing in. Since nobody comforted him, he saught comfort himslef. In a thin piece of metal. Razor met skin, blood leaked out, and tears stung the wounds. White lines popped out, making a satement. Karkat hated himself for doing this. It made him weak in his eyes. He stopped just at the end of the school year, Karkat feeling that there were better alternatives._

_Freshman year passed by, sophmore year looming on the horizon. At the beginning of the year, Karkat was very different. He was much skinnier, hidden underneath the sweaters and shirts he wore. His face had light patches of skin showing, evidence that he putting on make up in order to hide any injuries.__ He no longer attracted bullies, this he was glad for._

_He became even more reclusive. Shadows and corners his only friends. His music and sketchbook his therapists. Making himself look smaller in the hallways helped him evade people._

_Bec grew more and more voilent with every passing day. He ordered Karkat to do chores, the boy obeying and cleaning the house. The idea of food was all but gone that year. He was never one to eat a lot, but his appetite dissapeared. The fridge was no longer full of food, but alcohol._

_Scotch bottles littered the floor, making it almost impossible for Karkat to move around. He soon learned the art of sneaking around, careful not too make too much noise. Often times, Bec somehow woke up and dealt his usual punishment that included hits, kicks, and yells._

_That lasted the entire school year. Summer vacation came around and Karkat got a job as a school office assistant. He worked late, which often made the abuse much worse._

_He sorted the schedules for registration, eyeing and remembering Dave's and many others. He filled his own paperwork on registration day, hoping that a paper didn't require a parent's signature._

_While most kids dreaded the end of summer vacation, Karkat welcomed it. Bec sobered up enough to give Karkat money to buy supplies. Twenty dollars was enough to buy a new backpack and some notebooks. Odd jobs provided more money to spend, although some was taken by Bec "to compensate for the expenses" as he put it. An IPhone that Bec gave to Karkat didn't compensate for his emotional damage. As well as the physical ones that were kept well hidden._

_Even with the new friends he made with the help of Dave, Karkat still felt that he was worthless, a nobody, trash that was meant to be thrown out..._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A large force jolted Karkat from his reminiscing. His eyes were blurry with some unknown substance before he realized they were tears. He had been crying. He blinked them away and turned to see who it was.

Officer Vantas was leaning over and hugging Karkat, a fatherly embrace. Karkat tensed up and realized what he had done. All the feelings of being loved disappeared as he stuttered out his words.

"I-I'm so sorry. Please, don't get angry. I-I didn't mean to cry-"

Karkat was interrupted by Carcine's deep voice telling him to calm down. The man began to pat Karkat on the back, calming the boy down. Karkat still sat there, calming down enough to hug Carcine back.

"Karkat," Carcine began.

"We can help you. You are not trash, you are a brilliant young man who decided he had enough. You are away from that place. You don't have to worry." he said softly.

"I'll take my leave now." Doctor Lalonde piped up. She left giving a small smile to Karkat as if to say 'I wish you the best'

Karkat and Carcine hugged it out before Carcine was called out for work. The officer left with a small good-bye and for the second time in his life, Karkat felt like someone cared.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_A/N: Hello! This chapter is long, I'm sorry. This chapter also used up all my creative juices, so if can/want to, please leave a review or message me what you think the next chapter should be._

_Option One: Next chapter delves more into Carcine's past and includes a Skype chat with his son_

_Option Two: Dave plans a special surprise for Karkat when he is released from the hospital._

_(Voting ends on the 24th) I can't wait to hear from you! =^w^=_

_Stay Fantastic~_


	20. PSA!

**A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry for not updating much, but between school and writing new chapters for 'Skaia's Forest', I haven't had much time to write. **

**Sorry if you thought this was a new chapter, but I have something important to say. **

**Due to a guest reviewer, I will rewrite _everything._ All twenty chapters, or just a handful. If that proves to be too strenuous, I might discontinue. I will, at the advice of the guest, do my research. Until then, goodbye.**

**I'll post the chapters I updated, with a reason why. When I am satisfied with my work, I'll replace the SPA with the actual Chapter 20, so hang in there!**

**(EDIT: I've decided to not discontinue the story because of all the lovely people who reviewed saying that they'd hate to see it stop. All your messages have given me an even bigger resolve to finish it. I will, however, still update chapters.)**

**Stay Fantastic~**

**Chapters updated **


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